Bound to be free
by 4SnowWolf
Summary: One of them wants to get married, the other one would prefer to avoid it. Though they might have less choice than they expect.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N - this is the third story of mine and yes, I know the beginning is a bit weird, but alas necessary, things will get a bit clearly later on.**

**Enjoy - and please REVIEW **

* * *

She walked slowly towards the lake. Here deep in the forest there was only peace, even for her. There was no path leading to this wonderful place, but there was a wooden bench at the shores of the deep, dark water.

She slowly sat down. The sun was just starting to dip the left hand side of the lake into a crescendo of golden colours. There were birds singing in the trees all around her. She took a deep breath. She was grateful having been able to escape even so it would be only for today. Tomorrow her husband would come back. She had come here to think about a way to protect her son. She didn't want him to go the way his father had. Her son would be protected from all the pureblood insanity. He would be able to choose. She just needed to find a nice Muggle girl and she would not have to worry about her unborn child ever again.

There was the noise of snapping twigs. She turned around. A man about her own age was walking towards her. He had dark brown hair and was smiling as he saw her.

"I didn't know, that somebody else knew about this place. "

His smile was warm and friendly.

"I used to come here as a girl."

"I just discovered it yesterday. I attend the conference in that new complex over there."

He indicated the general direction.

"Should you be on your own out here? I mean..."

She smiled. She knew what he meant. She was nine months pregnant and sat on her own in the middle of the woods.

"Oh, it will be another week. I'm quite safe."

"You mind, if I sit down?"

"No, of course not."

For a long while they just sat next to each other.

"Do you know, what it is?"

"It's a boy."

"Congratulations!"

"Thank you."

"I bet he is going to be the pride and joy of his father."

'Not, if I can help it!' She thought.

"He is very much looking forward to meeting his heir."

"I have a daughter. She's just nine month old."

He pulled his wallet from the back pocket of his trousers and showed her a photo of a little girl with brown curls and deep brown eyes. She was smiling happily.

She smiled at the photo.

"May I?"

"Sure."

He handed her the picture and she looked at it.

'It is going to be her! She will protect my son!'

"She looks really lovely."

"Oh, she is. Our pride and joy really."

She looked directly into his eyes. He was slightly surprised, but not alarmed in any way.

"I have a huge favour to ask from you and your lovely daughter."

"A favour?"

"I need to bind my son to a nice girl, so that she will be able to protect him in years to come. It will mean, that he can't marry anybody else, but your daughter is free to choose."

He looked at her. That was a rather strange favour.

"I know, it sounds strange to your ears, but it will prevent his father from arranging a marriage for him. He will be free to choose his partner in life. Which he otherwise wont be able to do and I know, what kind of girl my husband will choose."

"Oh. I thought arranged marriages are forbidden by law?"

"A lot of things are forbidden, but they are nevertheless done."

"You want to secure the happiness of your son this way?"

She nodded. He took a deep breath.

"You don't need to tell your daughter, as I will not tell my son. They will live their lives in freedom."

"Okay."

He didn't really know, why he was helping this stranger, but somehow he felt that it was the right thing to do.

She stood up and he followed suit. She hesitantly took his hands into hers and then looked into his eyes.

"My son, bound to your daughter. His life entwined with hers. They will be one when they find each other. Nothing can separate them, nothing can touch them. They are one."

She looked at him.

"My daughter, bound to your son. Her life entwined with his. They will be one when they find each other. Nothing can separate them, nothing can touch them. They are one."

He didn't know, how he knew the right words, but for some strange reason he did. She gently laid her hands on his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you for saving my son."


	2. Chapter 2

Draco Malfoy was standing in the foyer of a rather upmarket restaurant in one of the side streets of Diagon Alley. It was his 21st birthday and his mother had insisted on taking him out for diner. He wasn't really sure why though. He was of age since he turned 17 and this specific birthday was only significant to pureblooded members of the wizarding community, that had their marriage arranged the old fashioned way, with a binding spell.

He knew for a fact, that he wasn't bound to anybody. He also had always known, that his father had intended to betroth him to a daughter of one of the other pureblood families. For some strange reason that had never happened. He had grown up and was still free. There were times when he seriously worried about this fact. His father had not been the type to break with time honoured Malfoy traditions. What had stopped him?

He glanced leisurely through the lavishly decorated windows into the street outside. There were quite a few couples passing. He smiled. _He_ wouldn't join them any time soon! Out off the corner of his eye he noticed a couple that seemed strange. Though at first he couldn't actually say what was so strange about them. Just a man and a woman walking hand in hand.

And then he suddenly realised that there was a soft glow around the woman. He blinked. She was literally glowing!

'What...?'

His thoughts were derailed by his mother, as she put her hand on his arm asking softly. "Ready to go home?"

He didn't answer. He just stared into space.

"Draco? What is it?"

"Hm?"

He looked at his mother, as if he saw her for the first time.

"She was glowing!" He whispered.

Narcissa Malfoy looked at her son. Smiling. If she thought, that he had momentarily lost his marbles, he didn't let _him _know that.

"Glowing, dear?"

He looked at her.

"There was a young woman walking down the street with a distinguished soft glow around her whole person."

"Maybe you have just seen how she feels, dear. If a woman is in love, it is said that she glows."

He suddenly felt a bit silly. His mother was still smiling at him.

'Why do I have the feeling she knows something that I don't?'

He would need to think about this. Why though? Why did it matter so much to him, that this poor person had possibly been hit by some kind of jinx and was now looking a bit strange? What was it to him?

"Let's go home." He heard his mother say.

She took his arm and they disapparated.

* * *

Hermione Granger enjoyed her life to the full. She had a job that full filled her, a fiancé she loved dearly and they were going to be married in just a few days.

"I love you, Ron."

She smiled at the man next to her. He smiled back.

"I love you, too, Hermione."

He leant down and kiss her tenderly.


	3. Chapter 3

"What is this all about, Ron?"

Hermione was sitting in her favourite chair next to the window. A book was lying in her lap.

"Dad says, that pureblood families often arrange marriages, when their children are still very young. A lot of people have been killed during the war and the Ministry wants to make sure, that any binding is discovered before a couple is trying to get married. They had three cases already, where one of the couple was bound to somebody but didn't know as his or her parents were dead and never had said anything."

"You mean they find out literally at the last minute, that they can't marry the person they love?"

Ron nodded.

"Is there nothing, they can do about it?"

"Oh, they can. That is why they have everybody checked beforehand. If one partner is bound, they still have time to find the respective person and get the binding reversed. They have done that quite a few times as well."

"Oh. So, should you be bound, we just get it reversed."

He leant down to her. He loved doing that. He breathed the soft almond scent of her hair. He was one lucky man! Of all the men Hermione could have chosen, she wanted him!

"How likely do you think it is that mum or dad have bound me to anybody and haven't told me by now?"

He smiled into her hair.

Hermione couldn't imagine anybody binding two children to each other. What about free will? What about the happiness of them? A slightly worrying thought sneaked into her mind.

"What happens, if one of the pair doesn't want to have the spell reversed?" She asked.

Her fiancé stood up, walked around the chair to face her, squatted down and said. "Then they have a serious problem!"

"Why?"

"The spell can only be reversed, if both agree to do it. If one of them wants to stay bound... The other one basically had it."

"You mean, one could destroy the life and happiness of the other one?"

"Yes."

"Why would they?"

"Tinsley told me, that there had been a case, where the guy had fallen in love with the woman he was bound to. He had never seen her in his life before, but it just happened when she contacted him to get a reversal. He point blank refused and told her, that she would only marry one man: him."

"What did she do?"

He hesitated. There hadn't been a very happy ending in this case.

"She killed herself..." He said very softly.

Hermione's face went pale.

"She killed herself?"

"Yep. There was no way for her to marry the man she wanted. They could have just lived together, but marriage would have been impossible for them."

"What would happen, if they just got married in the Muggle world?"

"Then they would be married in the Muggle world, but not ours."

"Oh."

He gently stroked he arms.

"You don't need to worry in any case. Your parents are Muggles! No pureblood parent would willingly bind there son to a Muggle."

He paused and looked into her eyes.

"I don't even know, if that is possible in any case. So we are just fine!"

She sighed in relief.

* * *

Draco was sitting in the breakfast room and read the paper. His thoughts were not really with the text in front of him though. He had now read the same paragraph for the fourth time and still had no idea what it was about.

"Good morning, dear."

His mother passed him, breathed a kiss into his hair and then sat in the chair to his right.

"Hm? Morning, mother."

A house elf appeared and poured the lady of the house a cup of steaming tea, milk and sugar followed.

"Does Mistress want toast?"

"Yes, please, with jam."

"Yes, Mistress."

The elf vanished and re-appeared moments later with a plate of toast.

"Thank you."

The elf bowed and vanished again.

Narcissa started eating her toast while observing her son. He looked like always, the white blond her smooth, but slightly ruffled at the edge, his black trousers, white shirt and grey slipover were immaculate as she would have expected, but there was something amiss this morning.

"Draco?"

He didn't answer. His mother looked at him closely. It seemed as if his mind wasn't anywhere near the position his body was in. What had happened to him? She knew, what had happened and that concerned her a bit. How was it possible, if she was a Muggle? She decided against telling _him_ straight away. He would need time to get to grips with what she had done to protect him from his father and the plans he had been spinning since the day he learnt that an heir was on its way.

She sighed. Would he ever be willing to participate in the wizarding community again? He had studied for his N.E.W.T.s at home and had only been for the exams back to Hogwarts. He had been offered to repeat his final year with all the others that had survived, but he had been more than reluctant to go back to school. He knew only to well that he would be turned from the bully into the bullied. He had been to proud to willingly submit himself to a year of being taunted and despised. So he had declined Professor McGonagall's kind offer to come back.

In the beginning he had wondered, if Potter, Weasley and Granger would be going back. They had. It had been front page news in the Daily prophet. Granger... There had been a time, when he had been tempted to meet her just in order to apologise for his behaviour over the years. Then he had wondered, if it would be better to just write. In the end he hadn't done either. He had just chickened.

He was a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. He knew all too well what she could do to him should she decide to do so. He hadn't fancied being at the receiving end when she was in a foul mood. The punch she had swung at him during third year had been reminder enough not to try and take her on.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few days Narcissa Malfoy saw with concern how her son was retreating more and more into his own thoughts. She knew, she should tell him, what or better _whom_ he had seen. She couldn't. It would break him to discover the truth. Now that he thought he had finally been able to flee the prison his life had been, he was no more free than before. Just the circumstances had changed. She sighed. How had it been that a young Muggle woman was walking in Diagon Alley? She must have been with a wizard. Probably her boyfriend, fiancé or even husband. What would happen, if Draco did find out?

Draco spent a lot of his time in the library. He never told his mother, what exactly he was doing in there, but in the moment he was trying to find out, why this woman had been glowing and why he was so touched by the fact, that she had.

He climbed the steep ladder to the top shelves. Most of the books here had probably not been read in decades.

"Miracles of the gardening variety" - Who would read something like that?

"How to charm your witch without magic" - He grinned. Highly unlikely, that _he _would ever need this book!

"Manifestations of love" - Merlin's Beard! What had some of his forefathers been thinking?

"The Bound One – Gaining Freedom" - Ha? What was that supposed to mean?

He took the old leather bound book and carefully descented the ladder. He sat in one of the comfy chairs and opened the book. On the endpaper somebody had written in curvy letters:

"_There is a good reason, why people are bound by love to each other. There is no good reason, why children should be bound against their will."_

He blinked. This seemed to be a very interesting book, but... He wasn't bound so it didn't really concern him. He was about to put the book back on the shelf, when he decided to just flick through it. Just on the off chance... Something was niggling at him in the back of his mind and he had learnt early on to pay attention to this feeling.

"_There will be the time, when the bond desires to be consummated..._"

He groaned and check the publishing date. It was _a bit older_ as he had expected. He carried on reading.

"_… and neither party will be able to resist the urge to do just that._"

'Fantastic...'

"_All too often our dearest are being displaced by the ignorance of the Muggle world, therefore it will be necessary for either to find their assigned partner in life. The binding contains an element of recognition. One will see the other as only they can see each other. Radiance will be their signal as that their search has ended._"

His head started spinning. He read the text again. What exactly was he reading here? The book was tossed on a nearby table. Draco was not in the mood to decipher this frilly text, which seemed to have been written by some woolly headed moron.

"Draco?"

He looked up. His mother was standing in the door. Smiling, in a very strange way...

"Yes, mother?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Sure, come in, have a seat."

She approached gracefully.

There was a very long pause. He started to wonder, if she would want to tell him some truly awful news and was just preparing herself for it.

"Draco, your father was a monster. I wouldn't have chosen him as my husband, but it was customary in the Black as well as the Malfoy family to engage their offspring early on. I had the misfortune to be chosen for your father. He was good and kind enough at the beginning, but the moment he got involved with... with..."

"The Dark Lord." Her son prompted.

"Yes, the Dark Lord, he changed. He became cruel and downright evil. He had always been of the opinion, that pureblood was the highest goal in life and he was going to make sure, that his son would one day carry on in this tradition and wed a woman of the highest standing. He had told me the day I knew, I was going to bear him an heir, that you would be bound to either the daughter of the Bulstrode or Parkinson family."

She had folded her hands in her lap.

"I was NOT going to let that happen! I wanted for you to have the free choice whom you spent your life with. I wanted you to be free."

Draco looked at her. He had a very strange feeling about what more there was to come all of a sudden.

"Lucius was away for the day and I just left the Manor to find peace and think about what to do. There is a lake in the woods where I grew up and I went there. "

Another pause. He felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up for some reason.

"While I was sitting on a bench thinking a young Muggle suddenly appeared. He was friendly and warm hearted and I found myself thinking about how different a child would be, that had the good fortune to have him as a father. We talked. He showed me the photo of his little girl. She was just a baby, barely nine month old. I knew, that your father would have me perform the binding the day you were a year old and here was the chance I had been praying for to prevent just that."

Draco was seriously considering, if he had possibly, unnoticed by him, slipped into a parallel dimension. His mother had been doing _what_?

"I bound you to this Muggle girl. I knew, that she would keep you safe. She would be the key to your freedom. You couldn't be bound again and your father would loose at least some of his power over you."

He blinked.

"And that was before I was even born?"

Narcissa nodded.

"The mother of the son and the father of the daughter have to perform the spell. I had you and he had his wee girl. It was, as if it was meant to be."

"Mother, what if I decide to marry after all. Not that I do, don't misunderstand me, but should the day come, what will happen then?"

"Nothing. You can marry her."

He should have stayed in bed this morning! After a long while he got up and started pacing. He needed to get to grips with this. He was bound to a Muggle, therefore couldn't be bound again. He was also free to choose whomever he decided to make his own as the woman he was bound to was a Muggle and therefore all the Wizard Laws didn't apply to her.

In a way he really admired his mother. She had found the perfect solution to keeping him out of the reach of his father's designs without compromising his safety. He had never understood, why he was so disdained by his father. Now he understood.

Then he remembered what he had read just moments before his mother had found him. He went to get the book from the table, leafed through it and found after a while the page he was looking for.

"_There will be the time, when the bond desires to be consummated and neither party will be able to resist the urge to do just that."_

He read aloud.

His mother looked at him.

"Did you know about that as well?"

She shook her head.

"So, if I suddenly feel like having my way with some strange woman in the street it might just be her?"

"It seems to imply something of the kind..."

He groaned. There seemed to be a price for the freedom his mother had bought him after all! There was always a price! Always!

"What am I supposed to do now, mother?" His voice was a bare whisper.

She stood up and hugged her son.

"Live your life, Draco. If the day comes and when you want to _have your way_ with a Muggle woman...

"Mother, I know, that what you did has saved me from a lot of evil, but is has also put me in a position I don't know how to handle."

"Don't worry. You were fine all these years..."

He suddenly looked at her.

"You took me out on my 21st birthday. If she would have been a witch I would now be...?"

"Officially engaged. As she is not, you don't need to worry."

* * *

It DID worry him. A lot! He was bound to some strange Muggle woman? If he hadn't been too sure about ever settling down and having a family in the past, he was now positive that he might just skip the idea altogether.

He groaned. It was 3am and he hadn't slept a wink yet. He had hardly been able to sleep last night either or the night before that. For reasons that eluded him, he had gotten so worked up about this whole situation, that it caused him literally sleepless nights.

It wasn't only the thought of the unknown Muggle woman, that made him uneasy. He had read this weird book a bit further and one thing had stuck in his mind.

"_One will see the other as only they can see each other. Radiance will be their signal as that their search has ended."_

He hadn't spoken to his mother about the glowing girl again. Though he was now certain, that something had gone wrong and he wasn't bound to a Muggle at all but to a witch! A witch! He groaned again. She couldn't marry anybody else but him and so did he.

He screamed in frustration.


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione was sitting in her office in the Department for Misuse of Muggle Artefacts. Surprisingly enough she was one of only three muggleborn members of staff in the department. She worked quite often with Mr. Weasley, Ron's dad, when he was trying to find out, what an object was actually meant to do. She loved her job. Though sometime it felt a bit strange to work with her future father-in-law.

She smiled to herself. She and Ron had been together since the final battle at Hogwarts. He had finally caught on to how much she loved him. Six month later he had proposed. She had been over the moon. Thought they had both been back to school to get the N.E.W.T.s by that time.

For a moment she remembered her surprise, when of all the Slytherins she had expected to be allowed back, Draco Malfoy hadn't been one of them. He had been cleared of all charges at his trial and she would have thought him keen to get his education finished. At the end of the year, when he had been seen during the actual exams, she had found out, that he had been invited back by Professor McGonagall, but had refused. He had spend the year studying at home.

She looked over to the large clock in the corner. Nearly lunchtime. She opened the next file in the pile to be dealt with and decided to go for lunch early, as that report would take a lot of time and even more concentration. She needed something to eat first.

"I'm off for lunch, Hannah."

"Right you are."

She apparated down to the Leaky Cauldron and ordered a large sandwich with extra bacon. While she waited for her order to manifest she gazed around the room. Quite a few folk were present. Mainly people who like her where on their lunch break. Her sandwich arrived and looked just delicious. She paid and then went over to a small alcove to eat in peace.

While she lazily chewed she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Though when she actually turned her head, there was nothing there that seemed odd.

'Strange.'

She went back to her lunch and was about to buy a Daily Prophet from the paper boy that came in every day around this time, when she saw something rather bizarre. There was somebody standing at the bar, glowing! She could only see the left hand side of that person, it seemed to be a man, but he was definitely glowing. She was stunned.

'…'

She was speech- and thoughtless for a moment. None of the other people around him seemed to notice though, which made it even weirder.

'How can they not see it? It's SO obvious!'

For a moment she wondered, if he was a regular and everybody was just used to his strange aura, but she dismissed that thought straight away. She was a regular here and she had never seen _him_ before!

"Hi there!"

Ginny interrupted her thoughts.

"Ginny, look towards the bar and tell me, if there is anyone standing there that strikes you as a bit strange."

Her friend did as ask and enquired, what exactly she was looking for.

"A man with a soft glow around him."

"Nope. Them guys all look pretty normal. There is one tall guy, that seems to have issues getting the girl next to him to leave him alone, but other than that they are all pretty ordinairy."

Hermione had another glance. There he was. Glowing.

"It's the guy in the black suit and the dark cloak."

Ginny double checked.

"He might be quite gorgeous for all I know, but glowing he ain't. What is it with you today? Nerves because of the _appointment_?"

Hermione didn't get it. Why could the younger witch not see the glow?

"Probably. I mean, why do we have to go through all that in any case? I'm muggleborn. No chance that my dad would have bound me to some pureblood prat when we were too young to remember. What family would want their precious son be lumbered with somebody like me? I don't get it Ginny."

"Mum said the same thing. She knows for a fact, that she would never in her life do something revolting like consented to an arranged marriage for any of her children. I suspect the Ministry is just trying to cover their backs. After the suicide of that poor girl they are all a bit on edge."

Hermione sighed.

"I still don't understand why..."

There was a commotion at the bar.

"If I have told you once, I have told you a thousand times, Pansy, leave my ALONE!"

The girls turned to see, what was going on. They didn't really see, what was happening, but a figure was now walking towards them. It was the glowing man! He didn't notice them staring at him, but just walked past them, as their alcove was on his way to the door.

As he passed their table his steps seemed to falter for a moment, but he caught himself and walked on. Only when he reached the door he turned for a moment.

Hermione had the feeling as if she had been hit by a bus. Grey eyes were staring directly into her soul and she felt unable to avert her gaze from him.

"Hermione? Hermione are you okay?"

She blinked. The man had gone and she looked into the face of a rather concerned Ginny.

"Is everything okay? You just froze there."

The older witch opened and closed her mouth a few times without being able to say anything really.

"Hermione! Stop messing about! What is the matter with you?"

There was a strangled sound coming from the throat of her friend. Ginny grabbed the hands of her future sister-in-law.

"That was Draco flipping Malfoy!"

"Yes, I know. Bad enough having to come across him here, but that doesn't explain what..."

"He was glowing!"

This outburst was answered with a blank stare.

"What are you talking about? Hermione I'm starting to wonder, if I shouldn't better get you to St. Mungos'.

"I'm okay Ginny, really I am."

It was obvious that this statement didn't really found any open ears.

"Hallo, ladies!"

"Ron!"

He sat next to Hermione and kissed her. She smiled at him. She was so looking forward to getting married to him!

"Could you two love birds tone it down a bit?"

Hermione looked at Ginny.

"I don't mind, you loving my brother, but I'm trying to have a break here..."

The older witch blushed.

"Sorry, Ginny."

Ginny grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

It was 9:30 am and Ron and Hermione were standing in front of the Department for Law. She had never known such an department even existed. It was only later that she learnt that it was created to deal with the legal aftermaths of the war.

Ron knocked.

"Come in."

"They went in. It was an unspectacular office. A desk, two chairs in front of it, a large filing cabinet and a painting of some kind of landscape was all the furniture there was.

"Oh, yes, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, please come in."

The wizard behind the desk looked as if he was about 150 years old with a long white beard, blue robes and pointed hat, that tilted towards the left.

"Nickel Tinsel, I have been appointed to check, if there is going to be any reason, why you couldn't be married by wizarding law. Please, sit down."

They did. Hermione looked at Ron before she started speaking.

"Mr. Tinsel, I don't know you, if anybody has informed you about our family backgrounds, but I think I should point out that I am muggleborn. Non of the elitist pureblood families would have dreamt about binding their sons to somebody that isn't at least pureblood. I suspect that you will be familiar with the word that is being used to describe somebody of my heritage and the implications of it in this context."

The old wizard just looked at her for a very long time.

"You could have been adopted."

"I am not."

"Or maybe..."

"Please! Just get it over with. Hermione, just let him do his... whatever and we'll be out of here in five minutes."

She took a deep breath and calmed down. She smiled at Ron and squeezed his hand. He grinned at her.

Mr. Tinsel took his wand out, waved it in a complicated matter in front of Ron, who started to feel rather hot all of a sudden. Other than that nothing happened.

"Very well."

Hermione gave him a look, that told him she wouldn't have expected anything less. He repeated the pattern in front of her and there were red, gold, green and silver stars raining down on her.

"What...?"

All three of them looked at them in utter disbelieve.

"Well." Mr. Tinsel sat back down in his chair and looked at Hermione. Who was utterly flustered by what had just happened.

"What does... what does that mean?" She managed to whisper.

"This, Miss Granger, means that we were right insisting that you and Mr. Weasley were tested."

"I don't understand."

"I am sorry to inform you both that Miss Granger here has been bound by the Binding Spell at one point in her past. She has been destined to be wed to a wizard who, I have to say, I'm afraid is _not_ Mr. Weasley here."

"What!" Yelled Ron. "That is utter nonsense. There is something wrong with your wand or the spell! Hermione is going to be married to me and to nobody else."

"That is quite possible, Mr. Weasley, but she will have to file for a Reversal first I am afraid."

Hermione just sat there. Shell-shocked.

* * *

"How is she, Ginny?"

Mrs. Weasley was more than concerned for her soon to be youngest daughter-in-law.

"Has she eaten anything?"

Ginny shook her head.

"She hasn't said anything since Ron brought her back from the Ministry. She hardly eats anything and I don't know, if she has slept more than a couple of hours at a time from total fatigue."

"Has Ron said anything about what happened at the Ministry?"

"He has just mumbling something about a big mistake, a broken wand, a wrong spell and something about Hermione being bound to some elitist tosser."

Her mother sighed.

"Mrs. Weasley, Ginny?" They heard Harry's voice from the fireplace.

"What has happened? Ron hasn't been at work for the past four days. Shaklebolt is starting to ask seriously inconvenient questions and I am running out off answers."

"Come through and I explain, Harry."

"Okay."

A moment later he stepped out of the green fire and hugged Ginny and his mother-in-law tightly. The young witch led him upstairs to her room. Harry gasped when he saw his friend of many years sitting at the window staring outside.

"What has happened to her?" He asked as Ginny had closed the door.

"Do you remember, that Ron and Hermione had to go to the Ministry to get checked, if either of them was supposed to be part of an arranged marriage?"

He nodded.

"Ron was fine."

"No surprise really."

"No, of course not. Hermione on the other hand..."

Harry looked at her.

"Are you serious?"

She nodded.

"Nobody knows how or when, but at some time in the past her dad has performed part of the Binding Spell."

"How is that possible? He is a Muggle."

"That is the point they haven't quite got round to yet. They can say, that the spell was performed in the correct fashion and that to all intents and purposes there is a guy out there that she is supposed to marry."

"Any clue to whom she is bound?"

"No, That is the tricky part. There is really no telling. Normally there are only so many families, that would use the spell to arrange a marriage between their bloodlines. The Ministry has promised to contact all families, that have sons in the right age group."

Harry was lost in thoughts for a moment.

"What is going to happen, when they actually find out, whom she was destined for?"

"They will file for a Reversal on her behalf."

"That is like an annulment?"

"Yes. She is then free to marry Ron."

"What happens, if it is some jerk, that doesn't consent to a Reversal?"

"Then they are screwed."

He looked at Ginny.

"What do you mean?"

"They will not be able to marry according to Wizard Law. They would still be able to get a Muggle wedding though."

He groaned. What kind of twisted pervert had done this to his best friend?

"How is Ron taking it?"

"Rather bad. He knows deep down, that she has nothing to do with it. He still loves her and hopes for the Reversal, but I have the feeling this whole thing has put a major spanner in the works, Harry."

The expression on her face told him all he needed to know. The relationship of his two best friends had hit the buffers more or less literally. He could only hope, that Ron would see sense and that they would stick together and get through this.


	7. Chapter 7

Narcissa Malfoy had been looking for her son for more than an hour now. She knew, that he was at home, the house elves had confirmed as much, but where he had got to none of them seemed to be able to say. Though she suspected, that he had instructed them not to tell her, where he was hiding.

She tried the library again, for the third time. This time she just stood in the door and listened. There was the faintest rustling of clothing. She left the door ajar and walked slowly into the large room. Ever now and then she paused and listened again. After a while she had approached the farthest reaches and looked at two large armchairs. There was a space between the left chair and the wall. She moved a bit further in order to look in the space between furniture and brickwork.

There he sat on the floor, his arms around his pulled up legs, his head was laying on his knees. She had never seen her proud and confident son in such a position. He seemed to be intend on detaching himself from the world.

"Draco?"

He looked up. His eyes looked as if he had tried for far too long not to cry. His mother knelled before him.

"What has happened, dear?"

He didn't answer. His gaze was wary and had something bordering on accusation in it.

"I have seen her."

It took her a moment until she realised, who he was talking about.

"Oh?"

He nodded.

"I saw her in the Leaky Cauldron..."

He let his head fall back onto his knees. Narcissa looked at him. He had seen the Muggle girl she had bound him to in the Leaky Cauldron. And then it dawned on her, that the Muggle girl wasn't a Muggle at all. She was a witch!

'Oh, Great Merlin!'

Her thoughts were tumbling all over each other. A witch, which meant she was muggleborn, which meant, that the freedom she had sought for him had turned into an inescapable prison!

"Draco?"

He looked up again. He saw the distress in his mother's eyes. She had tried her best to protect him and until now it had been successful.

"I don't want to have to do that, mother." He whispered.

"You don't need to do anything, dear."

"She will not be able to marry any wizard except for me. How can I do that to some innocent young woman in love looking forward to the happiest day of her life? I will have to... to..."

This time he just couldn't hold it together any longer. His mother gently stroked his hair.

"We will find a way, dear. We have not survived Voldemort and your father just to surrender now!"

He admired the fighting spirit of the woman before him. He had never realised just how strong she had to be in order to put up with his father being a Death Eater and still being able to sabotage his plans without being killed outright for it. Though these plans were about to blow up in their faces.

* * *

"Hermione! I don't care if you are just wearing pajamas! You are coming to work with me right now."

Harry was close to seriously loosing it with his best friend. She had been mopping about for a week now. It was hight time, that she got her act together and got on with her life. If she wanted to get married to Ron, she would have to fight this insanity and get going again.

"Hermione! I am warning you! You got two minutes and then I am coming in!"

Ginny's gaze was full of sympathy for her husband. He had been trying his utmost to get both Ron and Hermione back on track. Ron had gone back to work after Harry had threatened him with putting his racing broom up for auction, if he didn't get a grip of himself. Hermione on the other hand had been just quiet. She hadn't talked, complained or even hinted at the possibility that she would do her best to find the man she was bound to and in order to get him to agree to the Reversal.

"Harry?"

He turned to face Ginny.

"Has the Ministry still no clue about the identity of... _him_?"

He shook his head.

"I have no idea, why it takes them so long to just contact all and every pureblood family in Britain. You would think that it would be a case of mere hours rather than days."

"So, what is actually taken them _this_ long?"

"I don't honestly know, but I have a nasty suspicion about that..."

"What do you mean?"

He pulled her a few feet away from the door they were standing in front of.

"There have been rumours, that some people at the Ministry are quite keen on purebloods getting married to muggleborns..."

"You mean, they haven't tried to find him?"

He nodded his head.

"I know it sounds a bit strange, but there are not only pureblood supremacists about. I have come across some weird muggleborn supremacist s as well and some of them would do their utmost to see a war hero like Hermione married into one of the old _traditional_ families."

"That would be down right cruel!"

"Of course. That is one reason, why I want her back at work. She'll be able to do the searching there herself."

"Oh, I see."

They both looked at the still closed door, Harry had been shouting at only minutes before.

"Is she going to come or will I really need to drag her to the Ministry?"

The door opened. Hermione was smartly dressed, her hair was braided and she seemed like she had before the debacle at the Ministry. Only her eyes showed her true feelings.

Her friends smiled at her.

"You'll be fine, Hermione."

Ginny hugged her tightly.

"Come on then."

Harry put his arm around her shoulder as they slowly walked to the fireplace downstairs in the kitchen. He kissed Ginny without letting go of his friend and then they flooed to the Ministry together.

"I hope, you are wrong, Harry." She murmured when they were gone.

* * *

Draco had been aimlessly wandering the grounds of Malfoy Manor for several hours now. He was too proud to tell his mother, that he knew exactly _whom_ he had been bound to. He was also too proud to confront the fact, that he would never have a family. Not, if there wasn't a way to get out of the Binding. With any other woman he would have at least been willing to talk about the situation, but not with her. There was no point. He had read the announcement of her upcoming marriage to Weasley not that long ago in the Daily Prophet.

He frowned. Out of all the girls in the world it had to be her! The universe seemed to have a really strange sense of humour. He sat down under a large oak. His back leaning against the rough trunk. What was he going to do? Did she know about this? Did she actually know, what his mother and her father had done? Had she seen him glowing like she glowed for him? Did she know about this being the hint to stop searching? Then again, she hadn't been searching for him! She wanted to marry the Weasel.

He sighed. This was a bloody mess and he had the funny feeling, that it would be him who had to sort it out for some perverted reason. He didn't want to sort it out! If she wanted to marry that moron, then that was fine by him...He groaned. Why was he getting all worked up about this? It had nothing to do with him. He would just keep away from places he might meet her and then there wouldn't be the danger of him feeling the urge... NO! He didn't even want to think about that one!

* * *

It was a few days later that an owl reached him while walking the grounds again. The letter looked official. He frowned. It was from the Ministry, the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts to be precise.

'What do they want?

He unrolled the roll of parchment.

_Dear Mr. Malfoy,_

_we are contacting all pureblood families in Britain as a case of an arranged marriage has arisen, where the intended partners of been subjected to the Binding Spell. As we have not as yet been able to determine the intended male partner in the above mentioned case, we kindly request your cooperation. Should you yourself have been subjected to the Binding Spell and are in doubt of the intended female partner, please contact us immediately._

_Yours sincerely,_

There was only an illegible squiggle, no real signature at the bottom. He read the letter again and then a third time. What did the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts have to do with arranged pureblood marriages? He walked slowly back to the Manor.

'Where does she work?'

It should be easy enough to find out. Problem was, how to get the information he needed without raising any eyebrows. His old crony Goyle worked at the Ministry as some kind of heavy for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Not a smart move. That would raise far too many questions. Anybody else he knew that might be able to help? Pansy was working in the... NO! There was no way he would get her involved! She had been hard enough to get away from in the Leaky Cauldron the other day.

Anybody else? Blaise was playing for the English Quidditch team somewhere in America in the moment. He had the sinking feeling, that he would have to go himself. Not something he was looking forward to. Then again, the sooner he got it over with the better.


	8. Chapter 8

He had dressed in simple black robes, trousers and a cream shirt. The heavy travelling cloak should provide additional cover in a crowd.

Draco stood in front of the fireplace and stared into space. Why, for Merlin's sake, was he doing this? He didn't like to be stuck with a problem that could be solved. Even if this meant, that he needed to go to the Ministry and ask some awkward questions. He was quite sure, that is couldn't get any worse than it already was. He was bound to a woman that hated his guts and wanted to marry somebody else. Therefore he had to get rid of the Binding and then everybody could get on with their lives.

He took a deep breath, a handful of floo powder and was gone before he could change his mind.

The watch wizard weighed his wand, took note of his name and the department he intended to visit and handed him a visitors batch. There were quite a few people milling about, but nobody took any notice of him. He had kept his hood up in order to hide his white blond hair. Otherwise it would have been to easy to recognise him.

He reached the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts. A girl that seemed familiar sat at a desk facing the corridor he had just entered.

"I am here because somebody owled me."

The girl smiled at him.

"Which Artefact is this in connection with?"

He looked at her.

"I don't know. It just said, that my cooperation might be required."

"Who was the sender?"

He showed her just the bit of the parchment with the squiggle, making sure, she didn't see anything of the actual letter.

The receptionist looked at him.

"Who is that supposed to be?"

"You tell me. I didn't ask for this _invitation_. I just wanted to find out, what this was all about and then be on my way again."

"Oh."

"Is there anybody here, I could talk to?"

He became seriously annoyed with the ineptitude of the girl in front of him.

"Hm... Mr. Weasley is not in the office in the moment, but you might be able to talk to Miss Granger."

He tried his best to keep a straight face. He had gotten his information faster than he had thought possible. Now he had to just make it out of here and everything would be fine.

He didn't get the chance.

"Oh, Miss Granger, that is perfect timing. This gentleman has been owled by the department, but I can't say who send the message and as Mr. Weasley is not in the office right now, I thought you might be able to help."

"Sure."

She was probably facing him, but he didn't turn. He heard something that sounded like "Odd!", but then she just told him to follow her. Which he did. Wondering as he walked behind her, if she could see herself glow. Then again nobody else could. His thoughts trailed off. Somehow it was calming to walk behind her. He shook his head. Was he slowly loosing it here? This was the woman who, the moment she saw his face, would probably scream the place down.

Her office wasn't big, but it had a personal touch. She walked around her desk and kept standing until he had taken his position on the other side.

"Please sit down."

For a moment he was contemplated, if it wouldn't be better to keep standing, as that would give him a head start should the need for a hasty retreat arise. Then he sat down, pushed his hood back and look directly at her. He saw her eyes betraying the feelings she tried to keep from showing on her face.

"Yes, it's me. And no, I am not hear for any twisted kind of reason. I was owled."

He lay the parchment on her desk. She stared at it, as if it might be poisonous.

"It seems to have been send by somebody in this department. Somebody with an awful grasp on the concept of writing his or her own name."

Hermione just stared at him. He was glowing! Positively glowing! What had happened to him? Had somebody finally hexed him with something permanent? She couldn't help but wonder, who would have had that pleasure.

"Granger! I don't have all day. Why am I here?"

She finally snapped out of her thoughts and took the parchment. She read it and then... blushed. He just looked at her. Why was she blushing? Had he missed some important meaning in the letter?

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"This letter..."

"Yes?"

"I sent it."

"You? Why?"

"Because I want to marry Ron and I can't!"

He was close to smirking at her, but caught himself in the last moment.

'I know, you can't marry the Weasel!'

"You want to marry. Fine by me. Congratulations."

He got up.

"Please, you don't understand."

"Maybe you care to explain?"

"My dad performed some kind of Binding Spell together with a witch at some point in my life. Now I have to find the guy I am bound to in order to get him to consent to a Reversal."

'Reversal?'

"It can be reversed?"

"Yes. When both parties agree, the Binding can be annulled so to speak and then they both can get on with their lives."

"Ah, I understand and I am here, because you have no idea, who the lucky guy is, that has been blessed with you being destined to be his ticket to happy ever after."

She looked a bit flustered by his choice of words.

"Yes."

"How what you know, if I am Mr. Lucky?"

"I wouldn't."

He could see, that she felt bad about having to confess this to him of all people.

"So, if I don't know, that I am bound to anybody, there would be no way for you to tell, if I am or not."

"Yes. No. I mean, I can't check it"

He looked at her for a long while. Her hair was curly in a wavy kind of way. Her dress was simple but elegant and she looked quite pleasing to the eye. Somehow he could understand the Weasel wanting to get her for himself. There were probably a few guys out there, that wouldn't mind giving her a whirl...

'But she is bound to me.'

For a moment it felt strange to know, that he was holding her fate in his hands. He had never managed to really get a hold over her at school. She had been too smart and surrounded by friends. Now he was the one person deciding her destiny.

"For your information, Granger, I am bound as well, but I know who she is!"

"Oh."

"Anything else I can help you with?"

She just shook her head. He pulled his hood back up, gave her a short nod and then left her office. Behind him she started weeping. He heard it, but just kept going.

'Merlin! What a mess!'

* * *

He didn't tell his mother about his visit to the Ministry. He had to think this whole situation through first. He didn't want to marry Granger. He didn't want to be the one sabotaging her happiness either. Therefore he would have to come clean, tell her he was the one she had been bound to and then all that was needed was for this Reversal to take place.

'Do you really want that to happen?'

He took the book out, he had found the other day in the library and went over to his desk. He checked his quill and then copied two sentences for the book onto a new piece of parchment.

_"One will see the other as only they can see each other. Radiance will be their signal as that their search has ended."_

and

_"There will be the time, when the bond desires to be consummated and neither party will be able to resist the urge to do just that."_

He sealed the letter and then apparated to Hogsmead. He couldn't remember when he had been in the post office the last time. Normally he had used his own owl. Or if he needed to one of the school owls. He paid and left. For a moment he wondered, if he should have a wander around. He could see Zonko's, Honeydukes and the The Three Broomsticks. He decided to have lunch in the The Three Broomsticks.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N I'm not 100% convinced by this chapter. There is too much going on in my life to be able to fully concentrate on the story. Hopefully it'll get batter during the week.**

**So, PLEASE review. It's very much appreciated! **

* * *

"A large bowl of soup and a butterbeer, please."

The Malfoy heir was standing at the bar in the Three Broomsticks and looked around. There were quite a few customers here, mostly having lunch like himself. The one or other Hogwarts student was already present as well. He remembered that it was Saturday, probably a Hogsmead day for the students.

His food and drink arrived, he paid and then looked for a quiet spot somewhere in the back.

He was halfway through his soup, when at least two people were sitting down at the table behind his back. He kept on eating. It wasn't before he actually noticed them talking, that he started to pay attention.

"I just can't handle it."

Draco stopped eating with his spoon in mid-air. He knew that voice!

"Ron, you are being really silly here. She has done nothing wrong. Hermione must be in utter shock. I know I would, if I suddenly found myself betrothed to some strange guy, I have probably never even met."

"I know it's not her fault, but it still hurts."

"What exactly hurts? That she had the misfortune to find out now, when she had been looking forward to the happiest day of her life? Or the fact, that you take it as some kind of personal insult?"

"Parvati, how can I just sit back and wait for her to get this Reversal done? I want her with me, in my life now."

"And why for Merlin's sake don't you?"

Draco let his spoon slowly drop back into his soup.

"How do I know, that the Ministry hasn't found him already and she hasn't told me?"

"Why would she do that?"

"Maybe she fancies him. Maybe he has put some kind of curse on her to leave me."

Draco wasn't quite sure, that he was hearing right.

"What if this other bloke has decided, that he wants to keep her for himself?"

'That would be the day!'

"Ron! Listen to yourself! This is totally insane. Hermione loves you and she will do her best to find this guy, get the Reversal done and then marry you."

"She has been back to work and everything appears totally normal around her. She doesn't seem to care about being bound."

"Maybe she tries to keep it together. In contrast to you! Ron, you are seriously loosing it."

There was a moments pause and then Parvati could be heard again.

"Harry told me, that she has contacted every single male pureblood in the whole of Britain that is about the right age. Sooner or later she'll find out who this mystery man is."

Next he heard chairs being pushed over the floor and Parvati hissing for Ron to take his hands of her.

For a moment Draco seriously considered turning round to see, what Weasley had been trying with the Patil twin, but then decided against it. He just returned to his soup. Wondering if Hermione had any idea about the antics of her fiancé.

When he had finally finished his lunch he went for another walk through the village. He needed to have a think about what he had heard.

* * *

Hermione stood at the window of Ginny's old room at the Burrow and sighed. She had 27 men on her list of possibles for being her Binding partner. So far 20 of them had got back to her and none of them were bound without knowing the respective female counterpart. She got the impression, that this binding business was the done thing amongst pureblood families. She wouldn't admit it, but she was glad not to belong to that particular club.

There was a small owl hooting softly at her all of a sudden. Where had she come from? Hermione took the note, gave her some treats and then she was gone without another hoot.

She broke the seal and slowly unfolded the piece of parchment.

_One will see the other as only they can see each other. Radiance will be their signal as that their search has ended."_

_There will be the time, when the bond desires to be consummated and neither party will be able to resist the urge to do just that._

What was that suppose to mean? She turned the parchment over several times. There was no mention of who sent it or why. Was this somebody's twisted idea of a sick joke?

_...Radiance will be their signal..._

She suddenly felt her stomach knot. _Radiance_! She had seen Malfoy glow right in front of her. The logical conclusion of this was just too horrible to contemplate. This simply couldn't be! She refused to even waste another thought on this whole...

She found herself unable to stop thinking about what she just had realised. Somebody had sent her this information for a reason. Was it one of the outstanding seven pureblood males? Was that somebody telling her, how she would be able to find the missing partner herself? It seemed that way. Her problem had just shifted somewhat in any case. She now had a fair idea _who_ was the man she had been looking for. She just didn't now, why he hadn't told her...

She frowned. If it had been her to be summoned by him, would she have admitted, that he was the man she was bound to? NO! Under no circumstances. And he had just said, that he knew, who his partner-to-be was. She groaned as she realised, what he had actually told her: He KNEW it was her, that he had been bound to!

Her world just ended in that moment and she started bawling like she had never done in her entire life.

* * *

"Draco?"

His mother had become rather concerned about her son over the last days. He had been lost in thoughts most of the time, had barely eaten and didn't seem to take an interest in anything any longer.

"Draco!"

He was sitting to her left at the breakfast table and had been staring into his porridge bowl for the past ten minutes. She extended her hand and gently stroked his pale cheek. His eyes met hers in an instant.

"What has happened, dear?"

He just looked at her. He wasn't sure, that he really wanted his mother of all people to know, what was going on in his mind right now. He sighed.

"Draco, I know, that you are still concerned about the Binding, but there is no need. You'll see, everything will be fine."

He scowled at her. He never had done that before. She looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"Mother, I know, that you wanted to protect me from father's cruelty and scheming and you did. It is just not easy for me to get to grips with what has happened since I turned 21."

"What do you mean, dear?"

"I have been at the Ministry the other day as I got on owl requesting my assistance. The letter was from the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts. I was rather curious, what they wanted my help with. So I went to see whoever had written to me. It turned out to be a girl I knew from school. She is a Griffindor and we have never really gotten on..."

He deliberately skipped the details about this particular relationship.

"She wants to get married to a guy she has been with for years. Ever since school I presume. She has been bound to somebody and didn't know who. She tried to find out, who it is. And as much as it pains me, mother, I am the one."

He looked at her. Shock clearly visible on her fine features.

"She is a witch?"

"Yes, she is a witch. She is a muggleborn. That is why you met her Muggle father and thought it safe to use her as my Binding partner. I presume, that under normal circumstances, everything would have worked out just fine. Neither of you knew at that point that she was a witch after all."

She cupped his face with her right hand.

"I'm so sorry, dear." She whispered.

"You did your best to protect me, mother, and I am grateful that you did bind me to her. I truly am. She is bad enough, but if I had to spend my life with Pansy or Millicent..."

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I'll let her figure out, that it is me and take it from there."

"You haven't told her when you saw her?"

"No. She... It's a bit complicated."

His mother's eyes never left his.

"Complicated? What have you done to her?"

Narcissa was aware of enough of her son's behaviour and misdemeanours at school as to know, that when he said it was complicated, he had probably done something close to unforgivable to the girl.

He squirmed under her gaze, but she never allowed his eyes stray from her own.

"Draco, what have you done to her?" She said in a quiet tone of voice.

He knew better than trying to lie to her. She would find out. She always did.

"I have not been very civil to her..."

"_Civil_, dear?"

He sighed. She would find out anyway. Might as well get it over with.

"I have called her a... a... mudblood... a lot."

There was no response.

"I have been taunting her all through school..."

Still only an ear shattering silence form his parent.

"In third year she punched me. I mean really punched me in the face. Called me a _foul, loathsome, evil little cockroach_..."

He let his head drop. He felt like a first year having been caught red handed by a prefect. It was humiliating to say the least.

"Draco Malfoy... That was despicable of you!"

Her voice was soft, but he knew, that she was seriously disappointed. He hated to disappoint her. Her good opinion of him had always been something he sought when he was younger. It was only as a teenager that his father had more and more taken over and he had warped into the creature he had turned out to be by the end of the war.

He didn't dare look at his mother. If he had, he would have seen a light smile around her lips. She had always known about the terrible influence her husband had had on him and had been unable to do anything about it. Now though she could at least try to get her son accepted by society again. He wasn't evil, cruel or any of the other things, that had so distinguished her husband. He was a good boy. She just hoped, he would be able to show the world his true self one day.

Maybe this muggleborn girl could help...

She gently raised his head to look at him.

"I have always know, that the noble traits of the Malfoys and Blacks are somewhere inside you. Maybe it is time for you to find them and start acting to make yourself proud."

She did forgive him that easily?

"Go and speak to her again. Apologise for what you have done. Act like a grown man and not a spoilt prat."

He knew it!

"Mother, she would never..."

"Shhh. You will go and apologise, you hear me?"

Her tone didn't allow for any further argument. He nodded. She kissed his forehead.

"I love you , son."

He sighed. This was the first time in over a decade, that his mother had told him that.


	10. Chapter 10

_Your letter requesting information about my Binding has reached me and if you could find the time to meet me today in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch, 12:30, I would appreciate it. Please asked Tom to lead you into the Separée._

The letter had been on her desk, when she came in this morning. Hermione looked at the elegant handwriting. On impulse she would have said, that it was a woman's handwriting, but the contents spoke of one of the outstanding pureblood males on her list. Again there was no signature and the paper was of the same exquisite quality she had noticed before, when the last unsigned letter had been delivered to her by owl.

She sighed. There were only three left without a reply now. And she was close to shuddering, when she thought about the fact that only one, one out of seemingly 27, had not been bound as a child. What a barbaric practice!

For a moment she wondered, if there was any point meeting this person. She had already the suspicion, that it was Draco Malfoy of all people she would need to ask for a Reversal.

There had been moments, when she had been imagining him point blank refusing to have the spell reversed. There was a part of her, that dreaded him taking this as the ultimate revenge on her. Though she couldn't even say, why he would want to have her in his life. He despised her. Always had, always would.

'Get a grip, Hermione!'

There was of course also the small matter of her telling Ron about it. He had been acting weird during the last three weeks. He had been distant, not really cold towards her but not far from it. Then again he had taken her to diner one evening and had been the loving fiancé she missed.

Another sigh.

'Might as well meet this guy for lunch. Maybe I'm lucky and he can explain his first letter.'

"Hermione?'

She looked up. It was Mr. Weasley standing in the door, smiling.

"Hey there, Mr. Weasley."

"We have got a bit of bother with some strange humming cupboard. It seems to freeze people to death that come near it." And with a huge grin he added. "It's electric!"

"I am coming."

She smiled broadly at her future father-in-law. He always got excited when electricity was involved.

* * *

"Mother?"

Draco had been wanting to talk to his parent all morning, only to find that he had now searched the whole house without finding her. He finally called for one of the house elf. Which appeared with a slight _-pop-_ and informed him when asked, that Lady Malfoy had left the house early in the morning and had said, she would meet him in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. 12:30 in the separée. Of course he had insisted on knowing, why he hadn't been told earlier, but it seemed that his mother had decided, that the house elves were only to inform him once he actually asked for her directly. He thanked the elf absent-mindedly and then went to library, lost in thoughts.

Why would she just leave and not tell him at breakfast? Why did he have to ask the elves for her, before being informed that she expected him for lunch in town? She had been rather quiet lately. Ever since she had told him to apologise to Granger. She had never mentioned it again. There had been the hope, that she would just drop the issue, but he knew her to well as that he would entertain this hope for too long. He knew, that she expected him to do as she had asked. If he didn't, she would find a way to make him.

He settled down with a book about advanced potions and didn't notice how the morning had slowly converged into midday.

"Master Draco is being expected."

The unexpected voice startled him. One of the house elves was standing in front of him, holding his travelling cloak. He looked at her for a moment before remembering, that he was expected in the Leaky Cauldron. He got up, thanked the elf and took the cloak. He was going to just apparate. A lot less mess then using the floo network.

* * *

"Hannah, I am going out for lunch. Should anybody ask for me, I'll be back this afternoon."

"Okay."

Hermione was about to leave, when she turned again and asked.

"Who left that message in my office this morning by the way?"

Hannah just looked at her.

"Message?"

"There was a message for me on my desk when I arrived this morning."

"Oh. I don't know. Nobody went into your office as long as I was here."

A furrowed brow was the only answer.

She apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and asked for the separée. The room was, in contrast to the otherwise rather rustic design of the inn, elegant and had a comfy feel about it. The table was set for two and she could see that this wasn't the everyday china. The cutlery was solid silver, the glasses made from pure crystal and the decorations consisted of different flowers in hues of red.

She smiled. She was going to bring Ron here for a romantic date. It was just delightful. For a moment she was wandering, why somebody would go to so much trouble just in order to have chat with her.

There was a gramophone in the corner. She went over and found that the record was Madame Butterfly. She stared at it for a moment. She wouldn't have expected this. Hermione carefully turned the handle to wind it up and then placed the needle gingerly on the record. The Humming Chorus was softly filling the room. She sighed contently.

"I'm sorry, Mother..."

She turned towards the door.

"What...?"

The person standing there with one hand still on the door handle glared at her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, Malfoy!"

"I was expecting to have lunch with my mother, Granger. What are _you _doing here?"

"I was sent a note asking me to be here for lunch as well."

His eyes narrowed.

"Was that from one of the purebloods you have been writing to?"

There was a snarl in his voice even so he couldn't see it on his face.

"That's none of your business!"

"Oh, I think it is. I am on that list after all, in case you had forgotten."

"So, it was YOU, who left that note in my office?"

Her voice sounded accusatory.

"Why, for Merlin's sake, would I of all people want to have lunch with you?"

"Because you KNOW!" She spat.

He looked at her, taken aback. She had worked it out a lot faster than he had thought that she would. Then again she was smart. Too smart for his likely right now.

There was silence. Only the soft music filled the distance between them.

It was Draco, who finally spoke again.

"You worked it out then." His voice was calm.

She glared at him. Did that mean, it had been him, that had sent the note with the cryptic hints?

"You sent the letter. The one with the two hints in it."

He looked into her eyes. He could see her fury, her disappointment and her being deeply hurt. He frowned. Why would she feel hurt? That didn't make any sense.

"You knew all along and you didn't say..." He could hear the hurt in her voice now as well.

"I only found out, that my mother had bound me shortly after I turned 21. And that it had to be you of all people, I only realised after I read a book about the Binding, which I accidently found in our library. I never asked for this. It was my mother's attempt to keep me save from the evil designs of my father. You were supposed to be a Muggle."

He had closed the door and stood now in front of the only exit of the room. She felt a bit caged.

They just looked at each other for a long time.

"Did you arrange for me to meet you here?" Hermione asked in a hushed voice.

"No. I was supposed to meet my mother here." Draco answered quietly.

"Why would she be interested in us having lunch?"

'Good question!'

And then he remembered what she expected of him! She had set him up, made sure he had a nice setting to apologise in. He groaned. He should have realised, that she wouldn't just let it go. She had been determined enough to keep him out of the worst schemes his father had thought up. How could he have expected, that she would wait for him to do what was expected of him, when she knew that he was more than reluctant to do so?

"Malfoy?"

He looked at her. How was it that his mother had...

'Never mind!'

"Granger. I'm sorry. My mother had asked me to meet with you. To talk to you. Knowing that I was somewhat reluctant to do so, she must have arranged this, in order for us to have nice surroundings while having... a chat."

"She did this?"

"Yes. I am quite sure she did."

"Why is she so interested in you talking to me?"

"Because..."

He paused. Then he went to the chair nearest to her and stood behind it. His gaze trained on her puzzled features.

"As we are both here, I might as well do what my mother expects me to do."

He saw her face showing the clear signs of horror all over it.

"Don't worry, I am not going to ask to be my wife. I just need to say, what she is expecting me to say. You are free to go any time."

She hesitated. Should she really have lunch with him? Her curiosity finally got the better of her. She slowly approached him and he seated her.

Moments later delicious food appeared on their plates.

They ate in silence. Only ever now and then glancing at the one sitting opposite.

"Why have all pureblood males in our generation, in the whole of Britain I may add, been bound as children? It seems absolutely barbaric."

He looked at her for a long moment.

"Do you remember, when they were all bound? It was at the height of Voldemort's reign before he was defeated by Potter's mother. All pureblood families wanted to make sure, that their line survived and of course not even the Dark Lord could go against the Binding Spell, which meant he wouldn't be able to have any input in the choice of mate."

He was about to continue eating, when he saw the impression on her face. Curiosity. He sighed.

"My own mother bound me to what she believed to be a Muggle girl of all things in order to keep me out of the clutches of my father."

"She did?"

Hermione seemed honestly surprised.

"Yes. She risked her own life by doing so. Only it didn't quite work out as she had indented."

"Because I am witch."

"Yes."

"So what is going to happen now?"

He looked at her. What did she mean, _what happens now_?

"You are going to marry Weasley, don't you? Isn't that the reason you have been contacting all us pureblood studs?"

There was a smirk on his face.

"Yes, I am going to marry Ron!" Her tone was stern, as if to prove a point to him.

"Maybe you should speak to Parvati before you do though."

He continued eating. She glared at him. What was that supposed to mean?

"What do you mean? Why should I speak to Parvati of all people?"

"Just ask her about The Three Broomsticks."

He could see, that she was close to hexing him. He didn't consciously provoke her. It just came all too natural to him where she was concerned.

"Malfoy, you evil git! What are you trying to insinuate? That Ron has been going behind my back? With Parvati?" She scowled at him.

"I know, that they were meeting there. Not that long ago and obviously your darling fiancé has not bothered to tell you about it."

"If he hasn't told me about it, than only because there is nothing to tell!" She shrieked.

He put his cutlery down.

"He thinks, that you already know, whom you are bound to, but you didn't tell him, because either you fancy the found man, ergo me, or he, again me, has put you under a curse and wants to keep you for himself. Which I can only deny. I have no interest in having you anywhere near my life!"

There was an acid like quality to his voice. She first blushed and then went pale with anger.

"How dare you! How dare you talk to me about my fiancé in this way?"

She stood up so forcefully that her chair toppled over.

Her hand were planted beside her plate as she leant slightly closer towards him over the table.

"You know what? I am going to make sure, that I get this Binding reverse! Should I have ever considered to just ask you in a civilised manner, than that was just one big mistake. For a moment I had been thinking you were actually human somewhere deep down in your evil being. I have been mistaken! There is no way you ever were human or ever going to able to be considered as human either. You are just an evil, spoiled prat! You do deserve anything you have coming and I for one will make sure, that I get my Reversal. Should that mean, I have to get the whole of the Ministry on your case, I will!"

She stormed from the room, slamming the heavy door behind her.

He slowly exhaled.

'Brilliant!'

If this got out, he was in serious trouble and he had no illusions about her telling Weasley, Potter and Merlin knew whom ever else what he had said.


	11. Chapter 11

When Draco got home late in the afternoon he found his mother waiting for him in the hall. The scowl on her face could only mean one thing: She had already heard about what had happened during the arranged lunch.

"Mother, I..."

"You talked to her?" Her voice was soft, nearly gentle.

"Hm... kind of. We did talk..."

She just looked at him.

"Okay, okay! It all started out very civilised and then... I don't know. We ended up yelling at each other. "

"A strange way to apologise, don't you think?"

"Ahm..."

He would have liked to be somewhere else right now. Being put on the spot like this wasn't something he wanted to have done to him. Then again, he knew that it had been his own fault and making things up with Granger _now_ would be close to impossible.

"I was under the impression, that you were raised to be a gentleman. Not some mindless thug, that doesn't know how to behave around a woman."

"Mother, I am really sorry. I tried to tell you that it was complicated."

"How convenient."

"Please, I'll try and talk to her. I promise."

Her look told him all too clear that, even so he was dear to her heart, in this instance she didn't believe a word he was saying. He dropped his gaze.

"Draco." Her voice was calm, which made him shudder. This couldn't mean anything good!

He raised his eyes to look into hers.

"I have been talking to a few acquaintances and they have told me, that this young witch is a highly desirable partner. Muggleborn or not. Maybe you should serious reflect on what you are going to do with your life."

She smiled, walked up to him to kiss his cheek and then went into the drawing room.

He closed his eyes and sighed. Why had it to be Granger? Why her?

'Be glad it is her! With her you have at least the chance of some kind of life you might enjoy! Just think of Pansy or Millicent...'

He groaned. He did not want to have to deal with _these_ kinds of thoughts right now. Or ever!

* * *

Hermione had been back in her office for half an hour and all she had been doing so far was pacing up and down behind her desk.

'Evil git! Incurable bastard! Spoiled prat! Bloody ferret! Insufferable, arrogant...'

She had been ranting in her thoughts for the same length she had been pacing. Calling him every name under the sun should have cooled her down eventually. It didn't. The more she paced, she more worked up she became.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Moments later Hannah's head appeared in the door.

"Is everything okay?" Her face showed clear signs of concern.

Hermione looked at the other girl and only then realised, that this time she hadn't just screamed in her thoughts but actually aloud. She sighed.

"Yes, Hannah, I am sorry. My lunch date has been a bit trying to say the least."

She smiled.

"I am fine."

"Good."

Moments later she was alone again. She sat down. Tried to slow her breathing and to concentrate on the file on her desk.

"_Maybe you should speak to Parvati_... _ask her about The Three Broomsticks...your darling fianc__é __has not bothered to tell you about it._"

His words were echoing in her mind. He had just said it to provoke her. She knew that, but it still had gotten to her. Why _had _Ron _not_ told her, that he had met Parvati in the Three Broomsticks? Why there of all places?

She groaned. That was exactly what Malfoy had been trying to do, having her doubt her relationship with Ron. Why though? What was in it for him? She had a really hard time believing, that he would be trying to keep her for himself. He would marry a troll before she ever made the short-list.

She drummed her fingers on the desk. It irked her to no end, that he had yet again been able to, seemingly, effortless annoy her so that she forgot all reason and logic.

'Damn him!'

More finger drumming. It seemed impossible for her to concentrate for some reason. Her thoughts were swirling around her meeting with the ex-Slytherin. His mother had set him up, in order for him to talk to her. Why had she done that?

Hermione tried to think. What did she actually know about the woman that called this arrogant... being her son? Narcissa Malfoy. Wife to Lucius. Sister to Bellatrix. Aunt to Tonks. Related to the house of Black. Though she couldn't quite remember how exactly that relationship worked out.

That was about it. She didn't really know anything else about her. Oh, and of course for some reason she had seen fit to use her Muggle father to perform part of the Binding Spell.

She sighed. Her parents were still in Australia. She and Ron and planned to go there on honeymoon, re-modify their memories and bring them back to England. If that would happen the way she had planned, was now anybody's guess.

For a moment her thoughts ventured to the man, she had seen grow up with her at school from a snotty boy to an even snottier young man. He had always been so aloft and sure of himself. It was only when Harry actually told her and Ron what had happened on top of the Astronomy Tower, that she finally had started to wonder about him. Was there more hidden behind the façade of coldness than he would allow anybody to see?

Another thought just invaded her mind. Had he actually gotten to the point, where he explained, what he was expected to talk to her about? She frowned. They never even got that far. They had been at each other throats long before they reached the main reason for the meeting.

She shook her head. Why, for merlin's sake, was she wasting her time thinking about that opinionated git? Wouldn't it be better to go and see Ron? She decided to talk to him straight away.

* * *

Draco sat in the library. It had been his refuge for the best part of the afternoon. He was too proud to admit, that he was actually hiding from his mother right now. He wanted _his_ life back! He wanted to go back to studying, taking his broom for a ride and just be left alone. The world out there wasn't what he wanted to participate in any longer.

He looked at the book he tried to read. He hadn't managed to concentrate for more than half a sentence. He sighed. He knew, that if he didn't find the way to speak to Granger and explain everything, his mother would.

She had presented him with a wonderful calm setting. A meal to be enjoyed in company. Soft music to distract the conscious mind long enough so that his heart could talk to the woman, he needed to talk to. It could have been all so easy, but it had been just _too_ easy, as he had messed it up in no time. She wouldn't go for a meal with him ever again. He was sure about that. So, what was he to do?

He looked along the rows of books in the shelved in front of him. So many times had he seen her in the library. Studying, reading, taking notes. He smiled. She had always beaten him in class, but he always knew, that he had a worthy opponent in her. She was smart and knew how to use her brains. Not many girls, he had come across over the years would fit that description.

She wouldn't bow before anybody, she would fight to the last. Her loyalty was something he had never really appreciated in the past. Then again, he had never had the good fortune of having this particular gift bestowed upon him. He had been her enemy, her tormentor. He still was, going by the events of this lunchtime.

'_Behave like a grown man and not like a spoiled prat..._Way to go, mate!'

How would he get her to talk to him?

* * *

Hermione stuck her head out off her office and saw Hannah at her desk.

"Hannah?"

The girl looked up.

"Do you know, where Parvati Patil is working?"

"She is a filing clear in the Auror Office."

Hermione frowned. In the Auror Office? The Auror Office Ron was working in?

"Thanks a lot."

She closed the door. Her mind was wandering in directions, she didn't really want it to wander in. Had Draco a point about Ron and Parvati? She didn't want to believe it. Why would he be suddenly interested in her? Sure, they had been at the Yule Ball together, but that was in fourth year, for Merlin's sake. That was seven years ago and he had only asked her, because he had been too dense to ask Hermione in the first place.

'He didn't tell you, he had met her though, did he?'

She tried her best to keep the raising jealousy at bay, but it was already too late. Something inside her needed to know what had been going on.

She walked out off her office, smiled at Hannah and took the lift to the Auror Office. The watch wizard at the door leading to the main corridor of the part of the Ministry designated to the Aurors nodded and the door opened for her.

The first person, she saw was Harry. He smiled.

"Hi, Hermione. What are you doing here? Need our help with a case?"

"Actually, can I talk to you?"

He looked a bit puzzled. There were only two reasons she ever same here: a case requiring Auror intervention and wanting to see Ron.

"Sure, come into my office."

They sat on the couch in the corner.

"What is it, you want to talk about? Do you need to chase of some of your short-listed candidates?"

She shook her head.

"Is Parvati working here?"

He just looked at her with a rather perplexed expression all over his face.

"Yes, she is. She works as a filing clerk. Only part time though. Why?"

"Has Ron been seeing her outside the office?"

"What? Hold it right there! Why do you think he is meeting other girls behind your back all of a sudden? He is still engage to you. The moment the Reversal has been performed, you two are going to get married."

"Yes, well..."

He looked at her closely. Something seemed to have happened that made her think Ron wasn't faithful any longer all of a sudden.

"Hermione, what has happened!

She couldn't look at him. He waited.

"I had lunch with... with one of the candidates. He didn't really intend to have lunch with me, but that's another story. He was quite civil at the beginning, but then we started having an argument and he told me, Ron had been seeing Parvati in the Three Broomsticks not long ago and that he obviously hadn't bothered to tell me..."

"How did he know, that Ron had met her there?"

Hermione thought about that for a moment. Had Malfoy actually said, that he had _seen_ them? No. He had just said, that they had met.

"I don't know, Harry. He didn't say."

"Are you sure, he wasn't just pulling you leg, trying to wind you up?"

"Possibly. He has always been good at that..."

He glared at her. What? Did that mean, she already knew this person, before meeting him today?

"Hermione, whom have you actually been meeting?"

He had a nasty suspicion and could only hope, he was wrong.

"Harry, I didn't know, it would be him."

"So, you knew him? From School?"

She nodded.

"Let me guess, Malfoy?"

She nodded again.

His face showed only too clearly what he thought about this whole thing.

"Since when do you pay any attention to what the ferret is saying?"

He suddenly had another thought.

"Is he...?"

This would be far too weird, not to say downright revolting.

She looked at him, her eyes pleading not to expect an answer.

"Oh, Hermione!"

He pulled her into a tight hug.

'The bloody ferret! I can't believe it!'

Meanwhile his friend had started to quietly sob into his robes.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N thanks for the reviews so far.**

**A special thanks to padfootsgrl79 for a very good idea, that solved quite a few problems!**

** Enjoy and review.**

* * *

"Harry, have you seen the McTallon file..."

Ron Weasley stood in the door, mouth agape. There was his fiancée, holding onto his best friends robes, crying her eyes out and he was holding her tightly in his arms. What was going on here?

"Hermione, What are you doing? Why are you all cuddled up with Harry?"

Harry's head snapped around. He could see in the face of his friend, that he had gotten more than just the wrong end of the stick! It was the wrong flipping stick altogether!

"Ron, she just needed..."

"What? A shoulder to cry on? I thought, it would be _my_ shoulder _my_ fiancée would want to cry on."

"Ron, this is Hermione! I've hugged her lots of times. What's the big deal all of a sudden?"

"She is my fiancée! Get your hands off her!"

"What are you talking about? Have you totally lost your marbles?"

Hermione looked at Ron. His face was showing a beetroot tinge. She just buried her face at her best friend's shoulder. She didn't want to deal with an insanely jealous Ron right now.

"I have lost my marbles? You are having your way with my sister and now you want to get in Hermione's knickers as well?"

Harry looked at him. What had got into Ron?

"You don't know, what you are saying! She is your girl and she is also my friend. If she wants to cry at my shoulder, I'll be damned, if I sent her away."

"Ha! You admit it!"

"I don't admit anything, as there isn't anything to admit! She just needed a friend, that was all. If you wouldn't be such a moron sometimes, it might have been easier for her to come to you rather than to me."

"Oh, I am a moron, eh?"

"Ron, please!" Hermione's voice was pleading, but he ignored her.

"If you need a harem to satisfy you, there are enough girl around the Ministry, that wouldn't mind being shag...!"

"RON!" Hermione yelled from behind Harry.

He glared at her.

"And as for you..."

"Why were you meeting Parvati?" She screamed.

Ron's face went pale. Harry wasn't quite sure, what to make of this. Was he seriously having it away with another girl behind Hermione's back?

"I didn't..."

"LIAR! I know, you have been meeting her in the Three Broomsticks! Merlin knows what you have been doing there."

"Hermione, I swear, I have nothing..."

"I don't believe you! Why didn't you tell me then? What was so important, that you couldn't tell me?"

"..."

"HA! I knew it!" She looked at Harry. "He was right after all!"

"Who?" Demanded Ron.

"The man I am bound to! I found him!"

There was something like relief on his face.

"That's good, isn't it?"

"If being bound to Draco Malfoy is something good, than yes." She shrieked.

All colour drained from Ron's face. Draco Malfoy! He slowly moved backwards. Horror was the only expression his face seemed to be capable of in this moment. Then suddenly he gave the impression of a pressure cooker before exploding.

"THE BLOODY FERRET! You have been meeting him, haven't you? Behind my back you have been colluding with this scum."

A made half a step forward,.

"What have you been doing with him? Enjoying long _horizontal_ lunch breaks?"

Harry gasped.

"How dare you! How dare YOU of all people accuse me of something disgusting like that? Is that what you have been doing with _Parvati_!

"Leave her out off this!"

"Why should I? I haven't been sneaking about with other guys behind your back. I have met only ONE of the possibles on my short-list and I will be damned, if that was a very pleasant meeting."

"Why did you meet him then?"

"Because I had been invited to do so. I am a polite person, therefore I followed the invitation."

"And what has he been doing with you?"

It wasn't that he tried to insinuate anything, it was more him seemingly stating facts.

"We had an argument, if you must know. We were just yelling at each other."

"Ha! Was that before or after you have..."

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Harry shouted.

He looked seriously angry and distressed by the behaviour of his two best friends.

"Ron, just go! Don't say any more horrible things! GO!"

The other man turned and vanished, though not without slamming the door behind himself so hard, that the files on Harry's desk rustled.

Harry looked at Hermione. Who in turn gave him a look, as if her world had just imploded. Moments later she was back huddled against his body, clawing his robes and bawling her eyes out.

The young auror wrapped his arms around her and was trying to think of what he could do to get this mess straightened out again. He sighed. He didn't have that much hope, that there was anything left worth straightening out any longer.

* * *

Draco was still sitting in the library. It was dark and shadows were swirling around him. Though it felt strangely peaceful. There had been a time, earlier when he had still been trying to read, when he had felt a sudden burst of anger and then his heart had felt, as if somebody had just plunged a knife into it right up to the hilt. He had clutched his chest in pain. It had passed, but he couldn't understand what had happened. He had never felt anything like it before.

His mother hadn't looked for him in all the time he had been here, but he had not doubt that she knew, where he was. She seemed to have a sixth sense for his whereabouts at times.

He watched the moon light illuminate the spines of some of the old tomes with fingers of silver.

'Gently fingers...'

He lost himself in a world, where he wasn't alone any more. Where there was somebody by his side. Somebody he could trust, somebody that cared about him, somebody that didn't judge him but felt compassion and... He closed his eyes. Whom was he trying to convince here? He had made all the wrong choices for so long, that there was no way back for him any longer.

Should he have gone back to Hogwarts to redo the last year? Would he have been able to find some proper friends in that year? Would Potter, Weasley and Granger have granted him some of their abundant happiness? Would _she_ have been willing to fight for him by the end of that year? Would she have been willing to defend him without thinking as she did for Potter and Weasley? Would she have made him laugh? He had seen her laugh in the Great Hall, when she was with her friends. He had seen genuine happiness in her eyes during these times.

He sighed. He wasn't even able to talk to her for more than a short while. How could he expect her to want to do anything for him? She would expect something in return. All the girls he had ever encountered had wanted something in return for what ever he got from them. For a moment he wondered, if that was the actual secret of their bond: They didn't expect anything in return?

He turned the book in his hands. Hermione loved books. Would she talk to him, if he got her a book, that was special to her? He had no idea, what kind of books she read. Textbooks obviously, but other than that? Did she read romantic stuff? Crime stories? Poetry? What? He shook his head, feeling defeated. He had spent so many years in the same school, in the same classes and he didn't have a clue about her.

She wasn't the girlie type, so romantic fluff was probably not for her. Then again, maybe she would like to read something like that, as nobody ever bothered considering it for her as a gift. No. She was far too noble to be bought. She was a Griffindor and as such she would not appreciate him buying her something to say sorry. He needed something special. Something that was worth to be owned by her. Or enjoyed by her.

Something worthy... Was he worth her time?


	13. Chapter 13

Merlin's Beard! Where had they been hiding this Department of Law? In a broom cupboard? He had been stalking the corridors on this floor for nearly an hour now. It had to be here somewhere.

He looked down another corridor and to his astonishment he say a familiar face sitting at a desk in this corridor. Somehow he had managed to find his way back to the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts.

He hesitated. He didn't want to accidently bump into _her_. He looked at the girl behind the desk. She was sorting through some files. A door opened further along and he saw Hermione looking out off her office.

"Hannah? Has Harry send that..."

Hannah was holding up a parcel. Something wrapped in brown paper.

"He brought it down about ten minutes ago. And also a letter."

Hermione walked towards her and he could see, that she had been crying. The casual observer might have missed it, but _he_ saw it. Had that been because of the fight they had been having?

'Why would she be crying about something _you_ did?'

She had picked up the parcel and looked at the letter.

"Hannah, this is addressed to Ron, not me. Why did Harry bring down?"

"I don't know. He didn't say. Just handed it to me and said, you should read it."

"Oh. Okay." She shrugged. "Must be important then. Thanks."

She went back into her office. He kept watching.

Why did it suddenly feel so strange to look at her? It was not, as if he had never done that in the past. Furrows started to form on his forehead. Was he...?

He took a deep breath, straightened his posture and walked into the corridor.

Hannah smiled at him as she recognised him.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

"Hermione is free, if you need to talk..."

"No! No, I got lost somehow. There is supposed to be a Department of Law here somewhere."

"Oh, yes. Mr Tinsel's hideout."

She smiled.

'What?'

She must have seen his puzzled expression as her smiled broadened and she explained, that Mr. Tinsel had wanted to retire, but then had been persuaded to staff this new department until a replacement was found for him.

"Oh?"

"He doesn't have that much to do really. He just checks pureblood couples for some strange curse, they might have been subjected to as children."

"Ah."

"So, congratulations!"

Her face lit up as she looked directly at him.

"Excuse me?"

"If you have an appointment with Mr. Tinsel, it means you are getting married. Congratulations."

"Oh, yes, well, thank you."

"You just go back that way, round the corner and then it is the sixth door on the left."

He looked in the indicated direction.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

He turned to leave. A door behind him opened. He resisted the urge to turn around and slowly started walking.

"Hannah!"

He heard the scrapping of a chair and then a door closing. He turned. The girl had gone. It had been Hermione's voice...

He found the door he was looking for and knocked.

"Come in."

He entered and understood, why this wizard should have retire decades ago.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you the one in charge of the pureblood Binding victims?"

The man behind the desk nodded.

"How can I help?"

Draco wasn't quite sure, if he really should do this. _Could_ do this. In this very moment he had her in his life. When he consented to the Reversal, she would marry Weasley.

'No! Do the RIGHT thing for once in your life!'

"I have come to ask for a Reversal."

"Oh?" Mr. Tinsel said, looking surprised. "Where is your Binding partner? Shouldn't she be here as well? I can only authorise the Reversal, if both partners consent to it."

"I am here on my own, because we can't be trusted to be in the same room for more than a few moments before having a fight. So, you see, we are _more_ than happy to have it done. She'll probably come herself. Or owl you. I'm not sure, what her plans are."

"I see."

He got up and waved his wand in front of Draco in the complicated pattern. Red, gold, green and silver stars were raining down on him.

"Yes, I see."

He went behind his desk, took out a bundle of forms and started filling them out.

"What is your Binding partner's name?"

"Hermione Granger?"

Raised eyebrows turned to him.

"THE Hermione Granger? Currently engaged to Mr. Weasley?"

"That's her."

"Dear me!"

He carried on filling out the forms.

"She is muggleborn, is she not? I remember her mentioning it, when they were here."

"Yes, she is."

"Highly unusual."

"My family is known for only choosing the best."

He was surprised how proud his voice sounded. She was undoubtedly the smartest witch of their age. She was the best...

"I see."

More scribbling.

"Now I just need your name, sir."

"Draco Malfoy."

He could hear the other man gasp.

"Yes, I know what you are thinking and if you could refrain from reminding me of my father, I would be grateful."

"Certainly, certainly."

There was a long pause. Only the scratching of quill on parchment could be heard.

"When do you want the ceremony to be performed?"

"Oh."

Draco thought about that for a moment. He didn't expect to be able to choose a date.

"Probably as soon as it can be arranged."

"Good."

The young wizard could see the older one leaf through a thick diary.

"I could give you an appointment on the 17th ."

That was a fortnight away!

"Nothing sooner?"

"No."

"Good, I take it."

"6 pm sharp."

Draco got up.

"Oh, Mr. Malfoy, you will need to bring your mother, as she was most likely the one having preformed the spell."

"You mean, that Mr. Granger has to be here as well?"

"Yes, of course. If he was the one binding his daughter."

'Oh-oh!'

Even Draco had heard about Hermione hiding her parents somewhere abroad. Probably absolutely ignorant of who they really were.

He stood up to leave.

"Mr. Tinsel."

"Mr. Malfoy."

The door closed behind him and something rather strange was happening within his chest. He could feel utter joy for some bizarre reason. His heart was beating way to fast and he leant against the wall for support as his head had started spinning.

'She will not be able to marry the Weasel after all!'

The thought came before he could prevent it.

* * *

Hermione sat in the kitchen in Grimmauld Place and watched Kreacher prepare diner. She was lost in her thoughts about the letter Harry had sent to her that morning. It was in her pocket, still unread. Why did he give her a letter addressed to Ron? Why didn't he say anything regarding what this was all about? Did he expect her to just know, what was going on?

She fished the letter out and looked at it. It was tempting to just read it. But it was still Ron's letter not hers.

"Hi, Hermione."

Harry came in and hugged her. She hugged him back and held him a moment longer than she would have done normally.

He looked at her.

"Is everything okay?"

"Why did you give me this letter, Harry?"

"Because I saw Tinsel put it in my office. He seemed to have thought, that it was Ron's."

"Mr. Tinsel? That old guy working on the bound purebloods?"

"The very same."

"Why would he be writing a letter to him?"

"I don't know." Harry said kind of carefully.

Hermione glared at him.

"Do you know something?"

Harry sighed.

"Rumour has it, that there is somebody, that has put a claim in for you..."

"What? How could he do that? This bastard! I'll show this ferret..."

"Hermione!"

He could see, that she had already gotten all worked up.

"What?"

"It wasn't Malfoy!"

"What do you mean? It wasn't Malfoy? He is the only one, that could stake a claim. He is my Binding partner."

"I don't know, who it is, but I am positive, it wasn't the ferret."

"How do you know?"

"I overheard Tinsel in the lift on my way home. He was telling somebody from the Muggle Liaison Office, that Malfoy had been to see him this afternoon to ask for a Reversal."

"He did WHAT?"

"Seemingly he has decided to let you go."

There was something in his eyes, that Hermione wasn't quite sure about.

"Why would he do that?"

"Didn't _you_ tell me, that you two had been fighting instead of having lunch? That _you_ had threatened him with getting the whole of the Ministry on his case in order to get the Reversal done?"

She hesitated. Yes, she had done that, but...

"Harry, I..."

He smirked at her. She couldn't believe it! He actually _smirked _at her!

"Hermione, after that fight with Ron yesterday... I don't know, where you two want to go from here, but it will take a long while, if you want to get back together after _that_."

She sighed. He was right of course.

"I am sorry, Harry."

He hugged her.

"Don't worry, you are my best friend and even so Ron has behaved like a right tosser, we three can get something worked out."

She leant her forehead against his, holding his hands in hers.

"I am glad I got you, Harry."

He smiled.

"Just as long as Ginny doesn't find out about us..."

She burst out laughing. He grinned at her. This was so much better. To see her all worked up, down trodden or just plain sad always pained him.

"Maybe you should read that letter after all."

She nodded. Maybe fate was giving her the chance to get a head start for once. She slowly opened the envelope.

_Dear Mr. Weasley,_

_I can inform you, that Mr. Draco Malfoy, the Binding partner to Miss Granger, has consented to have the Reversal performed._

_I have also to inform you, that you will have to wait for a month before a marriage with Miss Granger will be possible after the Reversal._

_Should there be however any intimate relations between the Binding partners during this month, the Binding will be re-activated and the Reversal will have to be performed again._

_Sincerely,_

_Nickel Tinsel_

"Why would anybody want to have _intimate relations_ with a person they have just got rid off, so to speak?"

"Don't know. Seems a bit strange. Then again, how likely is it that you and the ferret..."

He looked at her. She looked thoughtful.

"I would rate the chances for that close to nil."

She folded the letter.

"There must be a reason for it though."

"Don't worry. I don't think, that _you_ will have a problem with it somehow."

"No, definitely not."


	14. Chapter 14

"Why have you let her go, dear?

Draco looked at his mother. She was sitting next to him at the breakfast table and if he hadn't known, that she had spoken to him, there would have been no indication of her even knowing he was there.

"I don't know, what you mean, mother."

She looked at him. Her eyes showing concern for her son. Serious concern.

"You let her go."

A very simple statement. Though for him it was like she was telling him, she would die later in the day.

"Draco, I can see the regret and loneliness in your soul. You let her go. Why?"

"It wouldn't have been right."

Smiling she waited for him to carry on. He sighed.

"Mother, she loves another man. I can't just deny her to be happy with the man _she_ has chosen."

He hesitated.

"I have made enough wrong choices. This time I want to make the right one."

"You might just have made the wrong choice yet again."

He looked at her. Her features were soft and he saw the gentleness of her soul on them.

"When I met this young man in the woods all those years ago, he warmed my heart. I knew, that his daughter would grow up loved and loving. She would know how to love. She would know how to love you one day. I didn't think, that you would ever meet her, but I knew that she would be out there somewhere and deep within her heart she would be the one loving you. She would never know about it and neither would you, but this tiny flame of hope would always be there for you. You would never totally fail, no matter how dark times would become and I have seen them become pretty dark in those days.

You were most precious to me. I knew, what your future could hold, would hold, but I had the chance to give you this tiny shard of hope, hidden in another human being."

Narcissa tenderly caressed his pale cheek.

"Don't let her go, dear. I know, it is not easy for either of you, but she is worth fighting for. Don't just give up! Give her the chance to come to you and embrace the possibility to be happy with you."

"Mother, she would never want to be with me. I have done too much damage. Not only in the past, but also just the last time I saw her. I can't even talk to her for more than two minutes without trying to provoke her. She is better of without me."

"And you? Are you better of without her?"

She saw the pained expression. She knew, that her son had been doing a lot of thinking. She was also aware, that him thinking would have led him to see futures become reality, he wouldn't dare to confess having even thought about.

Her son needed somebody at his side. Had done so for a very long time. He needed a friend, somebody he could trust, talk to, share secrets and laugh with. It had been a very long time, since she had heard him laugh. Far too long.

"Draco, at least give her the chance to forgive you for the past. It just might give her the idea of what could be a future. For the both of you."

"I'll try."

"That's all I ask."

* * *

"Harry? Why did you have me come here?"

"You''ll see." He said with a strange smile.

She followed him up the stairs at Grimmauld Place and wondered for the hundredth time, why her friend had asked her to come. He opened that door to the drawing room and beckoned her inside. The moment she stepped over the threshold she heard him close and lock the door behind her.

"Harry! What are you doing? HARRY!" She yelled.

Hammering her fists against the door cooled her down a bit, but it didn't open the door as such.

"AAAAAAAAAAA!"

She looked around seething with frustration and anger. Ron was sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace. He looked at her. His face mirroring her own feelings clearly.

"Why is he doing this?"

"He told me, that he wanted me to talk to you."

"What about?"

"Us."

Hermione looked at him. Was he still her fiancé? Was he a boyfriend or just a friend now? Or was it a case of _nothing of the above_? She sighed.

"Talk then."

"What about?"

"Didn't Harry tell you?"

"No."

There was a very long and very tense pause. It wasn't really silence. It could have been sliced.

"Why did you meet Parvati?" Hermione asked.

"I needed somebody to talk to."

"About what?"

"Us. And how I felt."

She started to say something, but then didn't.

"I was alone..."

"Ron, you Muppet, why didn't you talk to me? I was wanting to talk to you. I wanted to know, what you felt and what we were going to do."

He just skipped the fact, that he wasn't sure, if _Muppet_ was an insult or not.

"You had Malfoy."

"What do you mean, I _had Malfoy_? I didn't _have him_! What would I want with that evil ferret, when I was perfectly happy with the man I had in my life?"

Her voice grew a bit louder.

"Neville said, he had seen you meeting him in the Leaky Cauldron. In a private room."

He had started to pick up in volume as well.

"His _mother_ had arranged for him to meet me! She wanted him to have a chat with me and before you ask, I have absolutely no idea, why she was so insistent for him to talk to me. I never found. We had a fight about five minutes into the meeting."

Ron just glared at her.

"And why did you tell Parvati, that you thought I didn't tell you on purpose, that I had found my Binding partner? Why did you think, that he had put a curse on my and wanted to keep me for himself? And whatever else have been doing with her?"

She saw him blushing. Which took her somewhat by surprise. She hadn't thought, that anything had happened. But going by his reaction something _must _have happened.

"Ron! What have you done with Parvati?"

It wasn't far of a shriek. He cringed. How did she know all this? He had been sure, that there would be nobody there, that could inform on him.

"I tried to touch her thigh..." He mumbled.

Hermione was shocked into silence. He had been right! Draco flipping Malfoy had been right all along!

She slumped down into a chair.

"Hermione, I only ever loved you. You have to believe me."

She looked at him. Her expression was dark. Ron knew that what was to come now, would be worse than anything he would able to imagine.

* * *

Harry said downstairs in the kitchen and heard the shouts and screams drifting down from the drawing room. He read the Daily Prophet and wondered for a moment, if he had remembered to take all objects out, that could be thrown. A loud crash answered that question. He hadn't. Or they had found something to throw, that wasn't supposed to be moved in the first place and had moved it.

He sighed. He loved his two best friends way to much as that he would let them go on as they had been any longer. He knew, it was risky to just lock them in a room and wait until the dust had settled. Though that was better than doing nothing and have both of them suffer.

There was another loud crash. He looked towards the ceiling. Then the yelling reached a new high and a few minor blasts could be heard. Were they hexing each other now? Maybe he should alert St. Mungo's. Just in case.

Kreacher had been busy preparing diner. He looked at Harry, clearly concerned.

"Master Harry friends are damaging Master's house."

"It will be okay, Kreacher. I'll repair things, should it be necessary."

"It's not right damaging Master's house. Belongs to Master."

"It is very commendable, that you are concerned about me, Kreacher, but if my friends don't sort their problems now, they will have even bigger problems later on. So. Don't worry."

The house elf didn't seem too convinced, but he returned to his pots.

'I just hope, I am right...'

* * *

It was a week later and Ron and Hermione had made up again. Harry had forced his friends to stay in his drawing room and _talk _things over. They had done a lot of shouting, throwing things and hexing each other besides talking, but at least they got together and had the chance to salvage their relationship. He had made sure, he didn't let them out before both told him that they were okay with each other.

The next evening Ginny was sitting next to Harry on the couch in the main sitting room of Grimmauld Place enjoying a quiet night in.

"Do you think, that they will make it together, Harry?"

He thought about this for a moment.

"I hope so, Ginny. Then again, Ron has been a right idiot. If anything like this ever happens again... Hermione is _not_ going to forgive him another time."

"And we are still going to have the diner at the Burrow once the Reversal is over?"

"Has your mother decided to change that?"

"Not that I know of, but there is something going on. I don't know what, but mum is weird at times. And I can't get dad to talk to me about it."

"What do you think, is going on then?" He kissed her hair absent-mindedly.

"Bill has Fleur, Charlie has been writing about some Bulgarian girl in his last letter. Percy got it together with Penelope..."

"Penelope?"

"Clearwater. Was in his year."

"Oh, okay."

"George has a thing for Alicia. I don't know how that is going though. And then there are the two of us. When Ron and Hermione are married the house will be empty. Maybe mum is afraid of living in an empty house?"

Harry thought about that. Could be possible.

"I am not sure, that Ron is going to move out all that soon so. The Reversal is in a week and then they have to wait another month and then... Ginny, I really have this strange feeling, that Hermione is not going to marry him."

"Why?"

"Don't know. Something has changed. I mean, Hermione has changed."

She looked at him.

"You think, there is somebody else?"

"No... Maybe... I don't know."

"You don't seriously think, that she could have found somebody else within a week, do you?"

"No."

"You don't seem convinced."

"What if she has suddenly seen, that there might be other fish in the sea?"

"Anybody at work?"

He shook his head.

"No."

He stroked her cheek gently and sighed.

"Let's just forget about it. They'll have to figure this out. Not we."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and closed his eyes.

He knew, that something was coming. He could feel it. He didn't know what, but it was coming.

* * *

"Mother?" Draco was calling into the library.

A moment later she rounded a shelf, smiling.

"Yes, dear?"

"I'll floo to Diagon Alley. I want to try something to get her to talk to me again."

"Good luck, dear."

"Thank you."

'I'll need it!'

He wasn't quiet sure, how he would persuade her to come for lunch with him again. He just had to give it his best shot.

Arriving in Diagon Alley he found a florist, that specialized in local flowers. He didn't want to get her anything magical just simple, ordinary flowers that spoke of his good intentions.

He had spend the morning researching the meanings and symbolism of flowers and had just found what he was looking for. He would be able to talk to her without having to speak to her. He just hoped, that she would understand, what he was trying to tell her.

He bought a single stem of Cattail and had the florist wind ivy around it. She had looked at him with a surprised expression on her face, as he had told her, what he wanted. He was harbouring the hope of sending her a white lily later in the week, provided she would consent to meeting him after all.

He paid and then walked towards the Leaky Cauldron. He was going to get the separé again. He was lucky. It was free for tomorrow lunchtime. So far everything had gone swimmingly. Now the only thing left was to actually invite her. He sighed. This was the real tripwire in his plan.


	15. Chapter 15

Draco stood yet again at the desk in the corridor belonging to the Department for the Misuse of Muggle Artefacts smiling at Hannah.

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon."

"Could I speak to Miss Granger?"

"I am sorry, she left ten minutes ago and I don't think she is going to be back today."

"I see. Would it be possible for me to leave these flowers for her?"

"Sure. I'll get a vase for them. What shall I tell her, whom they are from?"

"Do you have a piece of parchment?"

She handed him a piece and her quill. He quickly scribbled a note, folded the parchment and handed it back.

"Thank you."

"You are welcome."

He left. Hoping that he would find favour in her eyes.

* * *

"Morning, Hannah."

"Morning. There was a gentleman asking for you after you had finished yesterday. He left flowers and a note. It put them on your desk."

"Thanks."

Hermione went into her office. There was a something flowery wrapped in light paper in a pastel hue of pink. Hannah had rolled up the paper, so that it wouldn't get soaked by the water in the vase. A note a been leant against the vase.

She carefully unwrapped the paper and looked a bit taken aback at the arrangement she found. A tall stem of cattail with ivy wound around it in a very artistic way. For a long while she just stared at what had been left for her. She wouldn't have said, that this was the most romantic floral display she had ever come across. Though somebody must have put in quite some thought, if the result was something strange like this.

She picked up the note. The handwriting wasn't familiar.

_Miss Granger,_

_I send you this floral arrangement so you would know my intentions._

_I would like you to join me for lunch today at 12:30 in the Leaky Cauldron (separé)._

_I still need to tell you, what I couldn't last time._

_Draco Malfoy_

She fell more into her chair as that she sat down. He wanted to have lunch with her? Same place as last time? And what did he mean by the flowers or lack thereof would tell her his intentions?

She looked at the greenery in the vase. Cattail. She knew that it was bullrush, but other than that? And the ivy? What was that all about? For a moment she was seriously considering, if he might have been just having a laugh at her expense.

She went to speak to Hannah.

"You said, a gentleman left the flowers and note. What did he look like?"

"A bit taller than you. Smartly dressed. Very light blond hair. Well spoken. He has been here before, about a week ago."

"Oh, yes. I remember."

She went back into her office.

Should she go and meet him? She had just got her relationship with Ron back on track. Mainly thanks to Harry. Ginny was really lucky, that he loved her. Did Ron lover her? She frowned. Why was she suddenly questioning his commitment to her? Again? What was it, that made her think differently about him all of a sudden?

She looked at the floral arrangement. Cattail and ivy. What was that about? They expressed his intentions. Greenery expressing intentions. She had the funny feeling, that she had at some point heard something about that. Though, where? She was thinking through all the different subjects at Hogwarts. It hadn't been herbology and there hadn't been any other subject, that was dealing with plants. Magical History? No. History... Muggle history... Maybe this was something from Muggle history. Very likely! Malfoy would not use anything Muggle related. Or would he?

She frowned. It had been four long years, that she hadn't seen or spoken to him, before all this Binding madness had started. What had he been doing all this time? She knew, he had studied for his N.E.W.T.s at home. Maybe he had spend time studying other things, too, since then.

Malfoy... For reasons best know to themselves she felt her thoughts drifting to him. He had been as cocky and infuriating as always, when they had met. Had there been something else there? Something he had been hiding just too well for her to see?

She drummed her fingers on the desktop. Why was he so interesting all of a sudden? He was... Somehow this thought was derailed by her remembering, that she had promised Harry to meet him for lunch today. She quickly went up to the Auror Office and found her friend in his office. Reading.

"Harry?"

He looked up.

"Oh, hi, Hermione."

He looked at her.

"What is wrong?"

She opened her mouth to answer, but then closed it again. Why did he think something was wrong?

"Harry?"

"Yes?"

"Why do you think, something is wrong?"

"The look on your face. And also your body language."

She knew, that he had never been good at Occlumency. Or Legelemency come to that, but he was really good reading people by there body language. Sometimes too good!

"I found this when I got in this morning." She handed him the note.

"What floral arrangement is he talking about?"

"Cattail and ivy."

Harry looked at her. What kind of odd combination was that?

"He seriously send you that?"

She nodded.

"That guy is weird for sure."

"Thing is, I want to go..."

"You want to go and meet him for lunch?"

He mock frowned.

"And leave me here alone with a cold sandwich and no company?"

She laughed.

"I'll take you out for lunch tomorrow. My treat."

He joint her in front of his desk and hugged her.

"Just be careful, okay?"

"Okay."

She smiled at him and went back to her own floor.

Harry looked deeply lost in his thoughts as he sat back down. He had been right. Change was coming their way. And these changes would mean a great deal of upheaval for all involved.

* * *

At 12:30 sharp Hermione was asking the barman in the Leaky Cauldron, if she was expected in the separé. She was and the barmaid was leading her to the room, she already knew. She thanked the girl and wanted until it had gone.

She slowly pushed the door open. Soft piano music was playing. The table had been prepared and Draco was standing next to it. He smiled warily as he saw her. She entered and close the door behind her.

She was unsure what do say or do next. Her Binding partner watched her, seemingly a bit lost as well. Finally he approached her slowly, extending his hand towards her. She took it and was surprised, when he pulled her gently closer and then kissed the back of her hand.

"I am glad you came."

"I was curious."

He smiled at her. It was still a bit of wariness in it, but for the most part it was a rather genuine smile. He stood next to her, lay her hand on his arm and walked her to the table. He seated her and then took his seat opposite her.

Again the plates filled with delicious food.

"Would you mind to eat first and then talk over dessert?"

She shook her head.

"That would be nice."

"Then, lets eat."

He poured first her and then himself a glass of water.

"I didn't know, if you would want to drink wine for lunch. There is pumpkin and grape juice, if you like."

"Thank you, very thoughtful of you. I like some pumpkin juice."

He poured her another glass with juice.

For a moment she was wondering, if she had slipped into a parallel universe without noticing. Here she was, having a civilised lunch with none other than Draco Malfoy. It was a bit unnerving.

He didn't speak except for things like, if she wanted more juice, could she pass the herbs or if the food was to her taste.

Hermione found herself studying the man opposite her. His features hadn't really changed. Not that she had really expected them to, but he just looked like she remembered him. Though she could see, that there was something in his eyes, that she had never seen before. Something alien, something that shouldn't be there. So, what was it? She couldn't say.

When they finally had reached the chocolate mousse, he waited until she had finished before he took a large sip of water and then gazed at her more or less openly. It was not quite a stare, but not far of it either.

"Hermione."

She looked up.

"Yes?"

He could hear that it had surprised her, him using her given name.

"The last time I came here, was because my mother had thought these surroundings would make it easier for me to do, what she expected me to do. I know, that I was out off order the last time."

He looked into her deep, brown eyes. They were so wonderful for loosing yourself in them. He would have liked to do that some time, but not right now.

"Hermione, I want to say sorry for what I did to you at school."

She stared at him. This _was_ a parallel universe! Did she just hear Draco Malfoy, the ferret, apologise for his behaviour at school? He apologised to _her_?

He got up, his eyes never loosing contact with hers.

"I am sorry."

He went to the door, looked at her one more time and then was gone before she could say anything.

She just sat there. Unable to do or say anything. She was just thunderstruck by what had just happened.

* * *

Harry and Ginny were sitting in the parlour, enjoying each other's company.

"Ginny, you remember me saying, that I think Hermione is not going to marry Ron."

"Yeah."

"It was only a feeling then, but I am nearly certain, that she won't."

"Why do you think that? Has something happened at work? Has Ron managed to mess it up yet again?"

He sighed.

"It has nothing to do with Ron this time."

"So, is it another guy at work?"

He shook his head.

"Harry! What has happened?"

"She has been having lunch today with a rather unlikely person. I have no idea what happened, but as we had intended to have lunch together she came and asked, if we could go tomorrow."

He looked at her.

"You should have seen her! She looked positively alive!"

"What do you mean?"

"She seemed to be glowing somehow. Not really, not physically, but there was something about her. Something has changed. I could feel it."

"Whom had she been having lunch with then?"

He took a deep breath before asking: "Do you really want to know?"

Ginny looked at him. There was worry etched all over his face.

"You think, I shouldn't?"

"You can't _unknow_ something is all I can say."

"You make it sound, as if he has been having lunch with the whole of the Slytherin Quidditch team."

"Not far off."

Her jaw dropped.

"What do you mean?"

"She had lunch with Draco Malfoy!"


	16. Chapter 16

Hannah looked up and found the tall, handsome, white-blond haired man standing yet again in front of her desk. He was becoming somewhat of a regular.

"Good morning."

"Good morning."

"Hermione isn't in yet."

"That's okay. Could you give her this?"

It was a single white lily. She looked from the flower to the man. Was there something going on between them? It started to become suspicious, that somebody other than Ron was giving Hermione flowers.

He smiled at her. Had he realised what she was thinking? She blushed.

"Don't worry. Miss Granger and myself are old acquaintances. This is nothing, that could get in the way of her marrying Mr. Weasley."

"Oh, right."

She was lost for words for a moment. He _had_ realised, what she had been thinking!

She took the flower, he gave her a courteous nod and left.

* * *

When Hermione arrived at work she was nearly half an hour late. Hannah gave her a strange look and then she found a white lily in another tall crystal vase on her desk.

She stared. A white lily. Had Harry sent it? Why was she thinking, that Harry had done that? Just because his mum had been called Lily? She groaned. This was going to be a long day. A very long day.

"Hannah!"

"Yes?"

"Who sent the flower?"

"The gentleman with the white..."

"...blond hair. Thanks."

She closed her door and leant against it. Why was he sending her this kind of greenery? First the cattail and ivy and now a single lily. What _was _this all about?

There was a knock on her door. She took a deep breath and then opened it. Ron was standing about a foot away from her.

"Hi." Her voice was strangely soundless.

"Hi?" He came closer, kissed her cheek and then went passed her into the office.

For reasons that eluded her, she just kept standing on the same spot looking out into the corridor.

"Hermione?"

She snapped out off her staring and closed the door.

"What are you doing here, Ron?"

"I just wanted to make sure, that you are okay."

"Why wouldn't I be okay?"

"Ginny said something about you having had to meet a slightly difficult contact yesterday."

She just stared at him. Seemingly she was still in this parallel universe. Only it had shifted and felt even weirder now than it had yesterday.

She felt his hands on her shoulders.

"Is everything okay? You look, as if you are not really here."

"Ron, I think, I am going to take the day off and do some research I wanted to do for ages."

Concern was plastered all of his face. She was acting positively strange. It was close to downright bizarre. What had happened to her?

"I'll see you tonight at the Burrow."

And without a further word she was gone. Ron stared at the closed door. What was happening here?

* * *

Harry was surprised, that he got an owl from Hermione during working hours. Why didn't she just come up and talk to him? When he had read the letter, he was just glad, she hadn't come and told him all this to his face. Did Ron know?

_Dear Harry!_

_I am taking the day off. I need to do some research about plants. The plants Malfoy sent me. He was surprisingly civil yesterday. We had a very nice lunch together and he apologised for all the things he has done to me in the past. He actually apologised! Can you imagine?_

_Love,_

_Hermione_

He read the letter again. They had lunch without having a fight and to top it all she was now wanting to research the strange greenery he had given her. He frowned. His inner voice told him, that Ron and Hermione were over. If they realised it or not.

What was _he_ going to do now? Was there anything he could do? Anything he should do? No! His two best friends needed to get this sorted. None of his business. Until either of them came to him either shouting, which would be Ron, or confused and probably unsure what to do, when it came to Hermione.

He called one of the young aurors in training.

"Mike, you are doing background checks in the moment, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to do an extensive background check on Draco Malfoy. What has he been doing the last five years. I want names, dates, locations. Anything and everything you can find about him. And make sure, _he _doesn't find out about it! The moment he does you are off the case."

"Yes, sir!"

If Malfoy was up to something Harry would find out about it.

* * *

"Draco?"

Narcissa found her son lost in a book on the patio. He didn't seemed to have heard her as he just carried on reading. She approached him slowly. He looked peaceful, content. She smiled. When had she last seen him with an expression like this on his face? She couldn't even remember.

"Draco, dear?"

She gently touched his shoulder.

He nearly dropped the book, as he whirled around.

"Mother!"

She smiled. He sighed. She didn't speak. There was no need. If he was ready to tell her, what he had done he would tell her. He sighed again.

"I have apologised to her. Without provoking her. Without having a fight."

His mother still just smiled at her.

"Mother, I might have done something, I shouldn't have."

"Yes?"

"I sent her flowers. Well, one flower and greenery really."

"Where is the harm in that?"

"I have hinted, that they represent my... sentiments, my feelings towards her."

"Like your grandfather did, when he was courting your grandmother?"

He nodded. She inclined her head.

"I don't know, if she will be able to figure it out, though."

"You hope, she will."

"Yes."

She gently stroked over his sun kissed hair.

"She is very smart, is she not?"

"Yes. The smartest witch of our age."

"Ah, then she will be finding the answers, you hope her to find."

* * *

Then next morning Harry saw himself confronted with a seething Ron first thing when he got to his office.

"She didn't turn up! She just bloody didn't turn up!"

"Ron! For Merlin's sake, get a grip!"

Harry was looking at his best friend as he was ranting. He wasn't quite sure, what had happened, but Ginny had mentioned something about Hermione standing Ron up. Reason: unknown.

"She said, she would come to the Burrow after work and never showed!"

"Have you owled her?"

"Three flipping times this morning alone! She doesn't answer."

Strange. That wasn't like her. She was normally the one writing back straight away.

"Has she said anything, when you spoke to her?"

"Nothing. She just vanished while I was there. It was weird."

It really was weird. Harry frowned. She had told _him_, that she had seen Malfoy for lunch and that she would be taking the day off. She hadn't told Ron about _him_...

"She was taking the day off and wanted to research something. On some plants."

The youngest Weasley looked at his friend.

"She told me about wanting to research something. What plants ?"

Harry shrugged.

"I have no idea, mate."

"Has that something to do with that bloke she was meeting yesterday?

He knew about her meeting Malfoy? Or did he just know, that she had met somebody?

"What bloke?" He could only pray, that Ron didn't catch him lying.

"Ginny said, that Hermione was meeting a contact yesterday or something."

'Or something...'

"Yeah, she mentioned something like that."

"Didn't Ginny tell you?"

"Ron, whatever is going on in her Department doesn't concern us, as long as it isn't auror business. Your dad wouldn't like as sticking our noses in his department."

"No. You are right. I'm just really worried about her."

Harry padded Ron's shoulder.

"Don't worry, mate, I'm sure she is fine. She can look after herself."

His mate didn't look convinced at all.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N - I know, there are a lot of folks, that have put this story onto their alert and favourite lists. Any chance that EVERYBODY reading it, could also review it? That would really make my day.**

**Enjoy! And review! **

* * *

Hermione was sitting in the extensive library at the Ministry for Magic. She had been here for the best part of the day. As well as all day yesterday. She sighed. She had far to late remembered, that she had told Ron, she would meet him at the Burrow. She had received his owls this morning as well, but something was keeping her from replying.

She looked at the book before her. _Magical Plants and their Uses_. It was pretty useless!

What was the matter with her? She couldn't keep her head on any one thought for more than five minutes. She hadn't slept most of last night, which meant she was tired. Tired to the point of just falling asleep at the table here.

She closed the book, put it back on the shelf and left the book filled room.

"Did you find, what you were looking for?" The head librarian asked her, as she was about to leave.

"No. I was looking for the meaning of plants, but it was all rather vague." She sighed.

"Meaning of plants? Like the Victorians used them?"

"The Victorians?"

There was a hint of laughter in the voice of the wizard that had spent his years amongst these shelves.

"Sometimes Muggle knowledge comes in handy."

Hermione just looked at him. What was he on about?

"During the Victorian era the social code of conduct was rather rigid, to say the least. So lovers had to find ways to tell each other, what they were really wanting to say using flowers. Every plant had its own meaning. Sometimes the different colours of the same flower were used to express different feelings and sentiments."

"Do you know, what cattail, ivy and a white lily mean?"

"Cattail, ivy and white lily? A rather unusual combination."

"You do know, what they mean, though?"

"Well, yes. The cattail means peace, ivy is friendship and the white lily, and only she, says that the giver thought _it is heavenly to be with you_."

She stared open mouthed at him.

"Not quite what you were expecting, I think?"

She shook her head.

"Thank you! Thank you very much."

She left the library and flooed home.

* * *

There was another owl waiting for her. She sighed heavily. She opened the window and let it in. It swooped onto the back of a chair and then hooted reproachfully.

"Sorry, you had to wait so long."

She fetched some owl treats and then untied the letter from its leg. The bird looked at her.

"Are you waiting for an answer?"

She hooted softly.

"Oh, well... Let me just read the letter first and then you'll get your answer."

_Hermione!_

_What is going on? Ron has told me, you stood him up last night and are not answering his owls this morning._

_Has that anything to do with the ferret? What has he done to you?_

_Harry_

She look out only a small piece of parchment and scribbled:

_Harry,_

_I am fine. Nothing happened. He didn't do anything. I just needed to do some research. And Ron... I'll explain to him later. I am about to go and see him at the Burrow._

_Hermione_

_P.S.: I need to talk to you. Tonight. After Ron._

The owl was on its way and the young witch was just wondering, what _was_ actually going on. The lunch had been just that, a shared lunch. He had apologised. _That_ was unexpected. And the greenery... well, that was downright weird.

She looked into her kitchen, not for any specific reason. Her mind was just too pre-occupied.

* * *

Ron was sitting at the kitchen table in Burrow. Mrs. Weasley was sitting in the living room part of the ground floor and was reading _Witch Weekly_.

Hermione had apparated into their back yard and was now gently knocking on the front door.

"Hermione!"

Ron embraced her. Then he held her at arms length looking at her.

"Are you alright?"

She nodded.

"Yes."

She walked over to the kitchen table and sat down. Her fiancé took the chair next to her.

"What happened yesterday?

His voice was calm. Though she thought, she could hear a hint of uneasiness in it as well.

She sighed.

"It is me? Isn't it? I did something wrong?"

She smiled at him and took his hand.

"No, Ron, it's not you. You didn't do anything wrong. Its' me."

He found himself frowning.

"Why is it you? What has happened to you?"

She bit her bottom lip for a moment.

"I haven't told you, that the strange contact I met yesterday was actually Malfoy."

"The ferret Malfoy?"

"Yes. He asked me to meet him for lunch. He has apologised for his behaviour in the past. He has given me some strange greenery."

He just looked at her. She had met the ferret. He had apologised and given her strange greenery. Fine. He could handle that. Even so he felt this urge to break everybody in the body of... He counted inwardly to ten and smiled at her.

"You are okay though, aren't you?"

Hermione had expected him to be beet red in the face and screaming at her by now. He wasn't. Which utterly surprised her.

"Are _you_ okay, Ron?"

"Yes."

She was lost for words.

"Hermione, I love you. You know that, don't you?"

She nodded.

"I know, I have been an idiot far too often in the past, but I really love you and I don't want to loose you just because of something your dad did ages ago."

"..."

He gently rubbed her hand.

"Harry didn't want to tell me, whom you had been meeting for lunch, but I knew, that there was something... odd about it. Why wouldn't he tell me, if he knew and it was just work?"

He kissed the palm of her hand.

"I want you to get this Reversal, because I really want to marry you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You are just right for me. Always have."

"Oh, Ron..."

She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. He wrapped his arms around her waist and just held her. She felt so wonderful! Warm and alive. Her scent was filling his head and heart. This was what he wanted. He wanted her.

She pulled back just a bit, her face mere inches away from his. He smiled. She moved closer. Until her lips met his. He took the initiative and kissed her.

Somewhere in the back of Hermione's mind was a tiny voice telling her, that she should think of her Binding partner kissing her passionately like this. She shoved it away. She was engaged to Ron. She would marry him.

* * *

They were sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld place and Harry was studying Hermione as she was slowly sipping her tea.

"So, what have you been telling Ron?"

She looked at him and for a moment he had the distinct impression, that there was something different about her yet again. Was she back with Ron for good? He didn't get it. She seemed to be moving from extreme to extreme in hours without even noticing herself.

"I have been telling him, that I met Malfoy and what happened during our shared lunch."

"_And_?"

"He was really good about it. Told me that he had been an idiot in the past and that he didn't want to loose me as he loves me."

"..."

Harry did a very good carp on dry land expression. Was he hearing right? His best friend had finally woken up to the fact, that he was on the verge of loosing her? He hadn't screamed, threatened or cursed? What was the world coming to?

"So, you see, we'll have the Reversal done in a week and then we are going to get married."

"You remember, that you have to wait a month before you can actually tie the knot, don't you?"

"Sure, but what is a month? We have been waiting all this time. A month more or less will not do any harm. It will be just perfect."

He tried his best not to let her see his utter astonishment. Somehow this sounded all way to good to be true.

"I'll need to get going. Mr. Weasley has promised to take me on a raid tomorrow."

"Yeah, sure."

He hugged her, hoping that her life wouldn't be turned upside down when she least expected it.

* * *

During the next days Ron spent all his free time with Hermione. They went for long walks in the countryside around the Burrow. He read to her from her favourite books. He even tried to teach her a few of his chess tricks. She enjoyed being with him. This was the man she loved and would spend her life with.

* * *

It was the evening before the Reversal would take place and Ginny was sitting again with Harry in Grimmauld Place on the couch in the drawing room after diner.

"Have you seen Ron and Hermione any time this week?"

Harry looked at her.

"Yes." He hesitated. "Why?"

"I have never seen my brother behave like this before, EVER! You could think, that he is a different person."

"Maybe the chance of loosing Hermione has finally made him realise, what kind of prat he is at times."

"You know, I have a really funny feeling."

"You too?"

She turned fully towards him.

"What do you mean?"

"Not that long ago I would have sworn, that Hermione wouldn't marry Ron. There was something, I can't really explain it, but it seemed certain, that..."

"She might just marry the ferret?"

"Do you think, that was ever on the cards?"

She thought about that for a moment.

"I honestly don't know, but when she found out it was him... You know, how she is. Any mystery is worse for her than light for a moth."

Harry played with her fingers. Lost in thought.

"So, tomorrow Malfoy, his mother, Hermione and..."

He looked at Ginny.

"What about Mr. Granger? He would need to be there as well, but her parents are still in Australia. Who is going to take his part in the ceremony?"

"..."

Ginny started to say something and then didn't.

"You are right, Harry." She finally murmured.

"Does that mean, that it can't be reversed after all? What will that do to Hermione? And Ron?"

"Let's just hope, that's not the case!"

* * *

"You'll let her go?"

"I have to , mother."

"You think, she would not stay with you, if you refused the Reversal."

"I know, she wouldn't want to stay with me. I have to let her go in order for me to be able to win her for myself."

His mother smiled. She had hoped, he would not just give up and let his chance for happiness slip away.

"You said yourself, I need to give her the opportunity to come to me and find out, if she wants a future that is including me or not."

"How will you make her come to you though?"

He remained silent for a long while.

"I don't know yet. I might need your advice for that one."

"I'll help, if I can, but I think, you'll know what to do to win her, dear. You have known her for a long time now."

"I am not sure, that I really _know_ her though. She had her life and I had mine. It wasn't as, if we have been spending time with each to get to know one another."

"Maybe you should find time to do that now."

He looked at his mother. What was she suggesting here? She just smiled at him and then kissed the top of his head, before taking his and apparating them both to the Ministry.

* * *

When Draco and Narcissa were approaching the Department for Law they could see that Hermione, Ron and Mr. Weasley were already waiting in the corridor.

The general greetings were rather formal and it was only when Draco managed to catch Hermione's eyes that he finally allowed himself to hope for a future with her. There was something deep and caring in her gaze. He could feel himself wanting to drown in her rich brown eyes, wanting to loose himself in and with her.

He smiled. She looked surprised. There was a big question mark seemingly hoovering over her. He knew she was wondering. His smile broadened. Now it was curiosity, that was starting to show on her soft features. He ever so slightly moistened his bottom lip. Her eyes widened.

There silent conversation was rudely interrupted by Mr. Tinsel.

"Ah, I see everybody is here. Good, good."

He ushered them all into his office, that was now just empty except for two tall candelabars, which each held three candles.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy, please over here. Miss Granger, Arthur, over there."

He looked at Ron.

"You will have to wait outside I am afraid."

Hermione could see, that Ron had intended to protest, but then he just went outside without saying anything.

"So, Mrs. Malfoy, you need to be standing behind your son. Arthur, behind Miss Granger please."

They took their places and Draco looked at Hermione. She wore a simple peach coloured dress and matching flat shoes. Her hair looked ruffles, as if the wind had been playing with it. She was gorgeous. He sighed.

The young witch allowed herself to look at the young wizard, that she had spend years to loath. He was dressed in black trousers, white shirt, black waistcoat and black robes. His hair was falling in his eyes. How come, she had never really taken the time to look at him? To really enjoy surveying his handsome features?

'Because he had nothing better to do than to make your life hell where ever he could!'

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, you need to hold each others hands."

There was hesitation on both sides, before Draco finally leant forward and took hold of her hands. They felt warm and soft in his. He noticed, that she wasn't wearing an engagement ring. Had she worn one, that first time he had met her? He couldn't recall.

Hermione felt herself shudder, as he touched her. He was very gentle. A lot gentler than she would have thought he would be.

"Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. Weasley, you need to hold each others hands as well. They need to go around Mr. Malfoy and Miss Granger."

Narcissa took the hands of Arthur Weasley and was thinking back to the man, who had been holding her hands all these years ago.

Why was he not here?

"Now then."

He tapped the hands of Draco and Hermione lightly with his wand and silken strands of red and green were weaving themselves around them.

"Mrs. Malfoy, your part, please."

"There will be a time when these hearts are separated. My son no longer bound except by love. Freedom to the girl, bound to him, freedom."

The green strands grew weaker and vanished.

"Arthur."

"There will be a time when these hearts are separated. My daughter no longer bound except by love. Freedom to the boy, bound to her, freedom."

The red strands followed the green ones.

Lady Malfoy stepped back and let go of Arthur Weasley's hands. Draco looked at Hermione for a long moment, before he slowly let go of here hands.

Though he could see the single thin line made from gold and silvers that expended between their palms. He stopped, finding her eyes. She had seen it as well. Then it slowly vanished.

"Ready to go, Hermione?"

She looked at her future father-in-law and nodded. Before they left the room, she glanced back. Draco was looking at her. His grey eyes seemed to hold a promise she couldn't quite fathom.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N Thanks for the reviews! It makes it even more fun to write, when I know, there are folks out there enjoying to read my stories.**

**More reviews are MOST welcome.**

**ENJOY **

* * *

"Mr. Tinsel? Can I have a word?"

The old wizard looked a bit shocked to be addressed by Narcissa Malfoy. He knew of course, who she was and the recent history of her family.

"Sure."

"Draco, you go home. I'll follow as soon as I am finished with Mr. Tinsel here."

The young Malfoy just nodded and then went downstairs to floo to the Manor. What could his mother want to talk about with that guy?

"Now, Mr. Tinsel, both of us know, that the actual person that bound their child must be present. As I am Draco's mother I know for a fact, that Arthur Weasley is NOT the man, that bound Miss Granger. The Reversal can therefore not have been fully performed."

Mr. Tinsel's face lost all colour.

"You know..."

"I am a member of a long line of purebloods. The Binding has been used in our families for centuries, of course I know everything there is to know about it!"

"Then you will understand, it was the only option. Miss Granger's parents are missing. Arthur is the closest to a father she has, him going to be her father-in-law soon."

"Technicalities, Mr. Tinsel. The Reversal is NOT valid. You know it and I know it. Mr. Weasley might not know it as it has never been a custom in his line, but that doesn't change the facts. She will not be able to marry her fiancé. Not according to wizarding law in any case."

She paused and looked at the horrified expression on the face of the man in front of her.

"Will you tell her or will it be left to my son to win her in order to prevent the very public humiliation of the poor girl?"

There was no answer forthcoming.

"I see. You'll just leave it to my family it to make sure, that all harm is kept from her."

She turned to leave.

"Mr. Tinsel, you are quite lucky, that I am not my husband. He would have reported you to the Minister without a second thought. Good evening."

She left.

* * *

At the Burrow the Weasleys and their respective spouses, girlfriends and significant others were having a party.

Ron was dancing for the fourth dance with Hermione. He whirled her around the kitchen with a big grin on his face. She laughed at him. Finally she was free! And from now on she could work on her relationship with the man, that held her close. The man she loved.

There was again this niggling voice somewhere in the depth of her mind asking, if she shouldn't be dancing with her Binding partner. Feeling his arms around her. For a moment her steps faltered. She was free, wasn't she? Why was she still having thoughts about Malfoy?

"You want a break?" She heard Ron asking. She nodded.

They sat at the back of the living room area and he held her hands in his as they sat next to each other on the couch. Her gaze was a bit vacant. She seemed to be lost in thoughts for some reason.

"Hermione, what is it?"

She looked up. His blueish eyes were locking on to her brown ones.

"Ron, I have a strange feeling about this Reversal."

"Why? That Tinsel bloke said, that it would be okay, if my dad stood in for your dad, as he was soon your father-in-law."

"I know. And I am really grateful, that he did that for me, but there is this feeling, that it hasn't quite worked."

He looked at her. Was she serious?

"Why do you think, it hasn't work?"

She gently rubbed over his hands with her thumbs.

"Before, before tonight I had sometimes these strange feelings..."

He waited for her to continue.

"It was, as if I was expected to feel something towards _him_, like I feel towards you."

"What do you mean? You thought, you should love the ferret instead of me?"

He sounded genuinely horrified.

"Something like that. I know, it's because I was bound to him. This strange spell seems to be steering the Binding partners towards each other. Though it doesn't mean, that I don't have a free will any longer! I can choose to be with whom _I_ want, not that stupid spell."

"Do you think, it's the same for him?"

"Probably. I don't know. He is a pureblood after all and this kind of thing has probably been done in his family for centuries. Maybe he is immune against it. I don't really know."

He slowly pulled her towards himself.

"Hermione, I don't give a monkey's what he feels or thinks. You are my fiancé! I am going to marry you, not he."

She smiled at him. He grinned back and pulled her into his arms.

"I love you, Hermione." He whispered against her lips.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Narcissa Malfoy found her son in his room. He sat on his bed and looked at his left palm. There was the barest outline of a intricate pattern, just visible to the eye, if he concentrated on it. Otherwise it seemed to fade into his skin.

"Draco?"

He looked at his mother and then held his hand up, for her to be able to see his palm.

"Can you see it?"

She came closer and observed for a moment.

"Yes, I see it as well."

"What is that, mother? That wasn't there before."

She sat next to him.

"Draco, do you know how long it takes for the Reversal to be final after it having been performed?"

"In that letter from the Ministry it said something about a month."

"You have exactly one month time, to win her for yourself."

He glanced at her.

"Why the rush? I don't think, that I will be able to erase all her bad memories of me and to get to really know her in that short time."

"That pattern in your hand shows, that you have reached your 21st year and are bound to a witch. It will become clearer and easier to see as time goes on. It will clearly show in her hand as it does in yours. Because you two are not engaged the Binding is trying to make you notice each other. The glow was the first step, this is the second. The pattern can be seen by everybody."

"That doesn't explain..." He looked at his mother for a long moment.

"I thought, that Reversal ceremony was supposed to _unbind_ us."

"It was. Did you see Mr. Granger there, though? I didn't."

He was lost for words for a moment. This whole performance had been just a charade? It hadn't been real? Why had she consented to then? She would still not be able to marry the weasel after all.

"I don't understand."

"Mr. Tinsel must have been desperate to get this Reversal done. He knew full well, that it wouldn't work as her father wasn't present. He knows, that the moment she is trying to marry another man it will be public knowledge within a very short time, that she is a bound witch. That she can't marry the youngest Weasley. Both of them will be left looking like right..."

"Morons." Draco finished her sentence.

She nodded.

"It will be a public humiliation for both of them, when news gets out about it, but Mr. Tinsel seemed to be quite prepared to let them face the music instead of telling them to find her father for a proper ceremony."

"That's despicable!"

"Indeed."

"So I have to either find her parents within the next month or get her to become my wife."

"Yes, dear. Except, if you are prepared to have her live through the ordeal it will inflict on her."

"Never! Nobody deserved something like that!"

He knew, what he was talking about. He had been publicly disgraced by the arrest and conviction of his father. The Wizengamut had cleared him of all charges as he had been under-age and forced by the thread of death to his family and himself. Not all in the wizarding world saw him as innocent though. He knew, that his reputation was now coming back to haunt him, but he had excepted it. He just kept himself to himself and had little or no contact to his peers any longer.

* * *

A week later Hermione was in Diagon Alley with Ginny trying to decide, which wedding dress she was going to get after all. There was this creamy lace dress her friend thought looked like an oversized meringue. Or possibly the off-white satin one, with the tailored bodice and the flowing skirt that reminded her of a river somehow. For a moment a rather ridiculous thought drifted through her mind.

'It's the same colour as his hair...'

Ginny looked at her as she looked transfixed at the dress.

"Hermione?"

No answer.

"Hermione!"

"Hm?"

"What were you thinking?"

"About his hair. The dress is matching his hair colour." She said before knew it.

"What are you talking about? This dress isn't red." And then she suddenly realised, that her friend had been thinking about somebody that actually had white-blond hair.

"Are you okay?" She asked very cautiously.

"Sure. Why shouldn't I?"

"You were just remarking about the hair colour of the ferret while looking at a possible wedding dress. I mean, I thought, you were shot of him."

"I am." She didn't sound too sure.

"What?"

Hermione held up her right palm.

"Can you see the pattern?"

Ginny squinted her eyes nearly shut and then gasped.

"What is that?"

"I don't know, but it only appeared after the Reversal ceremony for some reason."

"How can that be? Does it mean you need to wait until it is gone and then your one month waiting time is up?"

"I have no idea. I have been trying to check in the library at the Ministry, but the books there are seemingly too mainstream. I have the suspicion that the really interesting books will only be held by the purebloods. They are the ones using this spell all the time it seems, for generations now."

"Seriously?"

"Yeah. Of the 27 men I contacted I found at least 24 bound. Can you imagine that? Nearly all of them were bound."

"Barbaric."

"That's what I thought. Then again, these families would have been the ones closest to Voldemort."

"So?"

"They wanted to protect their children. These proud purebloods might be..."

"Batty?" Ginny volunteered.

"Yes, but they love their children just as much as any other family. Look at Malfoy's mother. She would have bound him to Muggle in order to keep him out off the clutches of his father. That sounds pretty desperate to me."

"You are right, but what about that strange pattern in your palm?"

"I don't know."

She looked into her palm. The pattern became stronger, the lines more pronounced, their colour shifted from ghostly white to a weave of silver and gold. She just stared. It was clearly visible now. She could identify all the intricate details of it. It reminded her of Celtic designs she had seen in the past.

"Hermione? What is happening?"

"I don't know, Ginny. It just got clearer and clearer all of a sudden."

Her friend stared into her hand. What was happening to her?

"Let's get back to the Burrow. It's starting to freak me out."

The older witch nodded. She needed to find out, what was going on. This was not normal!

* * *

When they were sitting in the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley, a large owl appeared. It was carrying a blue salvia and a purple hyacinth. It gracefully landed in front of Hermione. Softly hooting it urged her to take the two flowers.

"Has Ron lost his last marbles?" Ginny muttered. "Why is he sending you these strange flowers."

Hermione on the other hand didn't think for moment, that these flowers had been send by her fiancé. She knew exactly who had send them. What did he want to say this time? She would ask the librarian first thing, when she got to the Ministry tomorrow morning.

Mrs. Weasley just looked as surprised as the girls did.

"How come Ron's sending you flowers?"

"I know, it doesn't seem to be like him to do something like this."

"He has changed a lot in the past fortnight, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione smiled at her.

Her mother-in-law to be didn't seem convinced.

"I better get back home. Thanks for the tea."

They hugged good bye and then Hermione flooed home.

She didn't take the time to dust the soot of her clothes, but strode right to her desk and sat down to write, what she hoped would be, a scathing letter.

_Malfoy!_

_What are you playing at? I am not longer bound to you! Leave me alone! Don't send any more flowers! I was with Ginny and Mrs. Weasley at the Burrow when that owl arrived. What, if Ron would have been there?_

_Leave me alone!_

She decided against signing it. He would know, who had sent it.

* * *

Draco held Hermione's letter in slightly shaking hands. He hadn't expected anything less. He had been trying to devise a plan, any plan, to woo her for that last week without coming up with anything. He needed to talk to her, but knew she wouldn't do so freely. Maybe by sending her his thoughts in flowers he could get her annoyed enough in order for her to come to him for a _chat_. It would be more her screaming at him, but that he could handle.

He summoned his owl and tied a single hibiscus flower to its leg. Gently stroking it, he whispered the recipient into the ear of the bird. It hooted softly and then nibbled his ear affectionately. He smiled.

When she was gone, he sat down and look into his left palm. He knew that she had been in that bridal wear shop this afternoon even so he hadn't seen her. The pattern had been as clear as never before when he passed the shop.

He sighed. He wouldn't have minded to see her in her wedding dress... The dress for their wedding... He shook his head. She would marry Weasley. If not according to wizarding law than the Muggle world would see their union. For a moment he saw himself next to her. Why would he want to have her as his wife in any case? He was just going got make sure that she knew she couldn't marry that weasel that they were still bound.

Nothing more.

'Yeah, right!'


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N thanks to all that reviewed! I hope you enjoy the story so far. I enjoy writing it in any case.**

**Some mere reviews would be greatly appreciated! ENJOY!**

* * *

Hermione found a large bunch of yellow tulips on her desk the next morning, when she entered her office.

"HANNAH!"

"Yes?"

"Where do these flowers come from?"

"I don't know. I haven't been in your office this morning and I haven't seen anybody going in either."

"Thanks. I'm sorry for yelling at you."

"That's okay." She smiled. "Nervous about finally being able to get married?"

"A bit."

"Don't worry. Ron is a good choice."

Hermione just nodded while walking over to her desk.

"Do you need me for anything else?"

"No, thanks, Hannah."

The door was closed and she was alone.

Yellow tulips, a blue salvia and a purple hyacinth. What was that all about now? She wrote a quick memo for the librarian and the paper plane whizzed off.

It was only five minutes later that she received an answer.

_Yellow tulips - There's Sunshine in Your Smile_

_Blue salvia - I Think of You_

_Purple hyacinth - I am sorry, Please forgive me_

She was livid. What was this... this... _ferret_ thinking? Why was he sending her all these strange messages? She got another piece of parchment out and started writing another letter.

_MALFOY!_

_What are you doing? How did you get the flowers into my office? Leave me ALONE!_

_Or you'll regret it!_

She went to have the letter posted by one of the ministerial owls.

* * *

Another week and several flowers later Draco was still waiting for her to come to him. Her letters became more and more erratic, but she never seemed to think about giving him a piece of her mind in person.

He sat in the library and sighed. Two weeks gone and he had achieved what? Nothing really. Maybe except for her absolute refusal to talk to him. If he hadn't been so sure, what she would do to him should he go and see her at work, he would have been to see her every day.

"She is not willing to come to you, is she?"

He looked up. His mother stood next to him. Sometime he was wondering how she managed to move so quietly.

"No. She is sending letters."

He handed the latest one to his parent and sighed.

"You will need to go and see her, Draco."

"Why should I do that? She doesn't want me."

Bitterness was dripping from every word.

"You don't know that, dear."

"Yes, I do. She never wanted anything to do with me in the past, she doesn't want anything to do with me now. What's the point?"

He felt a soft hand stroking over his hair.

"You are the only one, that can prevent her public exposure and humiliation. You can prevent it. Therefore it is your duty to prevent it."

"My duty? Why should I waste my time and effort to help somebody, who clearly doesn't want my help?"

"Oh, dear." His mother sighed. "I know, that she hurts you with every word she writes, but she does write. She doesn't just ignore you."

"What's your point?"

"If you would be of no consequence in her life, she would not write, she would ignore you. Yet every time you send her a flower you receive a scathing letter. You might anger her, rile her or make her mad, but you actually do _that_ to her. She doesn't seem to be able to ignore you. She is taking note of your existence. You are a person to her. Some foul creature maybe, but you do exist in her thoughts."

He suddenly remembered their third year at Hogwarts. She had hit him square in the face. She had taken notice of him then, even so only to punch him. He had no desire to be punched by her again. Ever. Then she had been only 14 and it had been bad enough. Now at the tender age of 22 she might have improved her technique...

"Draco?"

"Hm?"

"Go and see her."

"No, mother! I don't care any longer. Why should I go and let myself get punched in the face again? She made it clear, she_ does not want _my help, so she is _not getting_ it. I'm through with her!"

He got up and left his mother standing. She just watched him leave. She knew, he was a proud man and this girl might just have rejected him once too often. He would not back down now. She didn't come to him? Too bad, he would certainly not go to her.

She signed and shook her head.

* * *

The next morning Hermione found a bunch of pink blooming heather with a single sweet pea blossom in the middle on her desk. She send a note to the librarian, wondering what kind of silly compliment he was trying to impress her with this time.

Though when she actually read the answer, she was taken aback.

_Pink heather – good luck_

_sweet pea – good-bye_

_What has happened, dear?_

She stared at the piece of paper in her hand. What was he doing now? Why was he sending her a _good luck_ flower? Good luck for what? Her upcoming nuptials? And why the _good-bye_? Was he really going to just leave her alone? Now? After having been interrupting her tranquil life for more than a month, he suddenly decided to stop. Why? What happened?

She went to find Harry. She needed to speak to somebody.

Harry was sitting in his office going through a file he had expected to be a lot thicker.

"Harry?"

His head shot up and he hastily closed the file, pushing it underneath a pile of paperwork.

"Hermione? What happened? You look distraught."

She waved the note from the librarian in front of his face.

"He wished me luck and said good-bye!"

"What? I thought everything was going just fine between the two of you."

"Him sending me flowers to make me compliments is not really how I define _everything going fine_."

He stared at her. What? What was she talking about?

"Ron is sending you flowers to compliment you? I thought the ferret was the mad hatter in that respect."

"What are you on about?"

"You just told me, that Ron wished you good luck and left. What are you talking about?"

"Draco flipping Malfoy!"

"Okay, okay. What has he done?"

"He send me some heather and a sweet pea blossom. I send a note to the head librarian and I got back, that he is saying _good luck_ and _good-bye_ with these flowers."

"And?"

"Why would he do that all of a sudden?"

Her friend looked from her face to her hand holding the note and back to her face. Somehow he wasn't quite sure what she expected him to say. He knew her long enough to know that she would just hex him, should his answer not be the one she wanted to hear.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

He got hold of her shoulders and held them firmly.

"Why are you so upset about Malfoy having finally decided to leave you alone? For the last week you have been ranting on about him sending you all these flowers, taking up your time to find out what they meant and _now_ you are suddenly complaining that he is not going to do that any longer."

She could see confusion written all over his face. She took a deep breath and then allowed herself to think rationally for a moment.

"I am sorry, Harry."

She looked genuinely sorry. He smiled at her.

"Don't worry..."

"Harry!"

Ron suddenly appeared.

"There is going to be a raid in 10 minutes on the Nott estate, they requested auror backup."

He paused, when he saw Hermione.

"Hi, Hermione."

"Hi, Ron."

Harry gave her shoulders a quick squeeze and then he quickly left together with Ron.

Hermione stood in the auror's office and noticed the name, half hidden under the file above, on the folder Harry had hastily been trying to hide from her, when she came in.

_DRACO MALFOY_

She stared at it for several minutes, then she just pulled it out from under the pile and left the office with it.

Back in her own office, she locked the door, sat down and opened the file with trembling fingers.

_Background Report - Draco Malfoy_

_compiled for background check_

She turned to the page and read on.

_During the last four year (timespan requested for this check) Draco Malfoy has been to:_

_1997-1998 – Hogwarts, 7th year, might have been fighting on the side of the Order in the final battle_

_1998-1999 – repeated 7th year in order to gain N.E.W.T. Qualifications, studied at home_

_1999- 2001 – hardly any contact with anybody, stays mainly at Malfoy Manor, occasional trips to Hogsmead or Diagon Alley_

There was a listing of his personal fortune, which she thought quite astonishing, then a list of all known associates followed. Hermione's brow furrowed. There was nobody listed after he left school. Except for the last month, when her name was mentioned.

She found a reference about him having gone through a, normally only associated with pureblood families, Binding ceremony. The exact date seemed to be unknown.

She frowned as she realised, that she wasn't mentioned as his Binding partner. Why was that? There was also no mention of the Reversal ceremony. Odd.

She felt her right palm tingling and rubbed it absent-mindedly. The skin felt strangely warm to the touch. She looked at her hand. The pattern was clearly visible. The gold and silver threats seemed to be gently swirling. She just keep staring at it.

There was a knock on the door.

"Hermione?"

She didn't answer.

"I am sorry, I could have sworn she is in her office."

"I'll come back later." It was Harry's voice.

* * *

Draco found himself yet again at the Ministry. This was becoming a bad habit. He knocked on the door labeled _Department of Law_.

"Come in."

He opened the door, the man he had come to see was sitting at his desk. He was wearing a content smile all over his face.

"I'll be with you in a minute." He said without looking up.

Draco closed the door and sat in one of the chairs in front of desk.

"How can I..." The words got suddenly stuck in the old wizards throat.

There was no reaction to this question except for a scowl.

"I told your mother... I thought, she understood... Miss Granger... Arthur..."

He seemed to have lost the ability to speak in a comprehensible manner.

"Mr. Tinsel. I don't know, what you told _my mother_. I am telling _you_, that by the end of the week you have told Miss Granger that she is still bound to me.

"But I can't..."

"Should you decide not to do so, I'll feel obliged to inform the Minister about this whole affair. I don't know, if he is going to be too impressed with your dealings in respect to one of our treasured war heroes. He might feel the need to reprimand or even punish you."

"How dare you threaten me?" His face was reaching a near beetroot colour fast.

"Oh, but you seem to forget, that I am also bound to the before mentioned Miss Granger. This whole affair is impeding my life. Which I seek to rectify in the fastest way possible."

He stood up.

"Now, Mr. Tinsel, by the end of the week or I will be speaking to the Minister. Good day."

He left the office and a rather thunderstruck old wizard within it.

For a moment he was wondering, if he should go and see... No! She didn't want to talk to him, so she wouldn't be talking to him.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N thanks for the reviews!**

**A special thanks goes to padfootsgrl79 for the suggestion made. Nice one!**

**So, enjoy another chapter - getting closer to the crunch...**

**And please keep reviewing! **

* * *

He had taken her out for a romantic diner. They were sitting in a small secluded area of the restaurant and she enjoyed every moment of it. He had presented her with half a dozen red roses and made sure, he looked extra smart tonight.

"Hermione?"

She looked up. Ron was smiling at her from across the table.

"Yes?"

"I know, I shouldn't ask, but do you have a dress yet? Ginny said something about you being a bit weird in the shop the other day."

"Oh, that was when I had some weird thoughts and it was the morning, that I found that pattern in my palm."

She put her hand on the table, palm up. The silver and gold threats were clearly visible. He took her hand and was about to kiss her palm, when he sensed something strange. It was, as if something was warning him, not to touch the pattern. Somewhere deep inside him was the knowledge that it would be rather painful, if he did. He lowered her hand a bit and looked at it. There was a slightly green tinge behind the pattern.

"Does it hurt?" He asked carefully.

She looked puzzled.

"No. Why should it hurt?"

"I don't want to frighten you, but your skin has started to go green around the pattern."

She pulled her hand out off his and stared at her own palm. He was right! There was a clearly visible discolouration in a green hue. What was that all about now?

"Ron, I have no idea, what that is all about. It doesn't hurt or anything. I wasn't even aware of it, before you mentioned it."

They looked at each other. Hermione smiled warmly at him.

"Let's just forget about it, shall we?"

He smiled back.

"Yeah."

They continued eating.

"So, did you buy a dress yet?"

"No. I was going to do that tomorrow. I know, which one I want, so it's just a case of picking it up really."

"And tomorrow week, you'll be my wife." He grinned.

"And you will be my husband."

* * *

"Hannah, I am going to leave early today. I need to pick up one or two things in Diagon Alley."

"Okay. Have a nice weekend."

"You, too."

It was about half an hour later that a rather flustered looking Nickel Tinsel appeared at Hannah's desk.

"Hi, Mr. Tinsel. How can I help you?"

"I need to speak to Miss Granger. It is urgent."

"I am sorry, she has left."

He looked horrified.

"What? She can't have! I need to talk to her!"

"I am sorry, she is not in."

"When will she be back?"

"Monday."

"Argh!"

His face was twisting into different rather frightening shapes.

"Are you okay, Mr. Tinsel?"

"He is going to tell Shaklebolt! He will. I know, he will!"

"Who will tell the minister what, Mr Tinsel?"

"That pureblood maniac!"

Hannah just looked at him. She wasn't totally convinced, that he had finally gone round the bent, but he seemed pretty close.

"Let me call a healer for you."

"No! I need to find her! I need to..."

He stormed down the corridor, She frowned. What had that all been about?

"Hi Hannah."

"Oh, hi."

It was Harry that was standing before her desk now.

"Something the matter?"

"Mr. Tinsel was just here, asking for Hermione. When I told him, she had left for the weekend, he went all manic and was babbling that _he_ would be telling the Minister. That he really needed to find her and then he just run off. It was really weird."

The auror followed her gaze down the corridor.

"Shall I inform the watch wizards?"

She nodded.

"It might be better."

"Okay, I'll do that and then I need your help with a file."

"Okay."

He went back to his own office and send notification to the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which was responsible for the security at the ministry, to apprehend Nickel Tinsel, as he seemed to have become a danger, if not to others than surely to himself.

Half an hour later he was back at Hannah's desk.

"Hi again."

She smiled at him.

"Hermione has borrowed a file and I need it back."

"Oh, sure."

"Is it okay, if I look in her office or do you know where she keeps her borrowed files?"

"You just go and look for yourself. If you can't be trusted, you can?"

She smiled, oblivious how glad he was, that he could look for the file himself. He smiled at the girl and then went to his friend's office. He wasn't quite sure, why she had taken his background check result on Malfoy, but he had a shrewd idea. He had been her binding partner, so she was curious. It was to be expected. That was one of the reasons he hadn't said anything when he discovered the file had vanished from his office. Hermione was his best friend and the feeling that something was going to happen, and soon, had never left him since he had seen that strange pattern in her palm for the first time.

He glanced around the room. Now, where would she hide it? He went over to the desk. No. The filling cabinet? No. He saw a somewhat dried bunch of heather in a pot on the small table in the back corner. There was small tablecloth underneath the pot. He went over, removed the pot, the tablecloth and voilà! He grinned. Did she know, that she was a bit obvious at times, when it came to Malfoy? Hopefully not.

He took the file, put the tablecloth and pot back and then left.

"I found it." He waved the file.

Hannah smiled at him.

"Have a nice weekend."

"You, too, Hannah."

* * *

Hermione flooed to the bridal shop, she had been at with Ginny and it took her only minutes to find the dress she wanted. She put it on and smiled as she saw herself in the full length mirror. Yes, this was just perfect.

It didn't quite reach the floor, so she wouldn't need to worry about tripping. The arms were reaching just below the elbow, the bodice was cut not too deep, but showed just the right amount of skin. It was a whitish-cream colour. For the fraction of a moment she had the same thought again, that it would be matching the colour of his hair. She shook her head. The thought was gone.

There was a long veil, that reached to her waist at the back and just over her collarbone at the front. The gold tiara, that held the veil, had small strands of silver in it as well.

The lady assisting her was bringing three pairs of shoes, the first ones were quite flat, the second ones had just the hint of heel, whereas the last one was a pair of stilettos. She discounted them straight away. She wanted to be able to move and dance with Ron. She was thinking about the left pairs and decided for the one with a slight heel.

"You look absolutely wonderful, dear."

She smiled.

"Thank you."

"Shall I fold and pack it for you?"

"Yes, please."

Hermione went back into the changing room and was about to unzip the dress, when the room was plunged into utter darkness. She couldn't see her hand right in front of her eyes any longer. Though she felt two warm hands touching her. She nearly shrieked, but before any sound ever left her mouth somebody had already sealed it with his own.

She felt warm lips pressing onto hers. One arm was holding her waist, the other cupped the back of her head. A slender body was touching hers. He was about half a head taller than her. She felt suddenly alive, like she had never done before. Ever. Her nerve endings were on fire. She slowly reach up and found his silken hair as she tried to circle his neck with her own arms.

She sighed against his mouth and felt him slowly brushing the tip of his tongue against her lips. Her head was spinning. Ron had never kissed her like this before! It was just divine! She hesitantly parted her lips and felt him gently deepening the kiss. She just went along. What ever he would be doing would be just fine by her.

He was pressing her against his body now. He felt slender, but with muscles all over. Warmth was spreading from him and seemed to ignite something deep within her. He was plundering her mouth, letting her feel his desire for her. Hermione reciprocated with a passion she wouldn't have thought was within her. She bit his bottom lip and heard him groan in response.

He tore his lips away from hers and trailed hot kisses along her jaw, down her throat and then she felt him burrow his head into the crook of her neck. She stifled a moan. How come she had never realised how sensual Ron was? The thought fled her the moment both his hands held onto her hips and she felt him slowly grating his body against hers. There was no denying that he wanted her!

"Hermione!" She heard him moan into her ear with a husky, needing voice.

Before she could do or say anything, his hands and body suddenly vanished and so did the darkness. Somebody apparated behind her. She spun around, but the sudden light blinded her.

"Are you alright in there?" Called the assistant.

It took her a moment to realise, where she was and then she called with a hoarse voice.

"Yes, I'm fine. Just lost in thoughts."

She slowly started to undress. Her head was still spinning. What had just happened? Ron had kissed her like she never would have thought possible to be kissed. She couldn't find any words to describe it. She sighed happily.

When she was dressed again in her own clothes, she carefully took the dress, veil, shoes and tiara and went to the counter. She felt herself smiling. Her lips were tingling where _he _had touched them.

She smiled at the assistant as she was packing the dress into a neat bundle with a flick of her wand. Hermione knew, that it wasn't cheap, but it wasn't extortionate either. She smiled happily and looked into her right palm. Her eyes widened in surprise. The green, that had just been a tinge yesterday, was halfway to become a deep emerald green. She wasn't quite sure, what she should think about it any longer. It had become more pronounced and visible every day over the last three weeks. Ever since the Reversal.

"Here you go, dear."

The assistant handed her two bags and a large parcel.

"Just tap it with your wand and it will unfold."

"Thank you."

"You are welcome. That will be 250 Galleons."

She counted out the money and then, feeling happy beyond words, she left the shop. Never noticing the slender figure, that had been watching through the shop window.

* * *

"Mother?"

"Yes, dear?"

Draco found his mother in the rose garden.

"It will be only a week now."

"Yes, dear."

He hesitated. Narcissa Malfoy could see that he wanted to say something. She smiled at him encouragingly.

"I have seen her. In a bridal shop in Diagon Alley."

She was still smiling at him.

"Mother, she looked so beautiful in that wedding dress." He whispered.

He sat next to her on the cushions his mother had spread on the stone bench. She gently caressed his cheek.

"Are you still saying, that you don't want to talk to her, Draco?"

He looked at her. His expression pained.

"I don't want to talk to her any more, mother... I want to hold her in my arms. I want to feel her body..."

He blushed. She pretended not to notice.

"It is not going to get better, dear."

"I know! Mother, I don't dare go to sleep any longer most nights."

"Oh, dear!"

"And then there is this."

He held up his left hand. In his palm was the silver and gold pattern, the skin around it had turned a pale shade of crimson.

"When did this happened?"

"I am not sure. It just seems to evolve as time goes on."

"Draco, the longer you two are separate the worse it will be getting. For both of you. You need to tell her."

"I have taken care of that."

She looked at him.

"Didn't you say, that you didn't want to speak to her? I assumed, you hadn't done it yet."

"I haven't. I had a quiet word with that Mr. Tinsel. I gave him until today to tell her. Otherwise I would inform the Minister about what he has done."

"Oh. Do you think, he has done it?"

"I don't know, but the moment she knows that she is not free, she'll be finding me."

His mother crooked her head every so slightly.

"Are you sure about that?"

He looked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"If she has the same dreams and desires you are feeling, she will be thinking of the man she presumes she will marry. She will not be fighting them. On the contrary, she will probably enjoy them."

He looked at his mother. Horrified. Her dreaming about Weasley made his stomach churn. That was simply gross!

"See, Draco, next Friday she is going to be all made up and happy. She will be dreaming about the ceremony, the reception and what comes after..."

He tried his best NOT to think about that one last bit.

"It will turn into her worst nightmare, when they are being told, that the Reversal was a farce and that it was all for nothing. Do you want to make her miserable?"

"You know, I don't want that.

"Then you know, what you have to do!"

"I can't!" He wailed.

She looked at him. Her face sporting a rather stern look now.

"Draco Malfoy! I haven't brought you up to just pass off your duties with the sentiment of _I don't want to do that_!"

He looked at her. It had been a long time, since he had got something even resembling a scolding from her. She had always been the one comforting him.

"Mother, please!"

Her stern face told him, that it would be futile to try and reason with her. He sighed.


	21. Chapter 21

She stood before him in her wedding dress. Her eyes were sparkling as she saw him. He gave her a knowing smile. She blushed and he felt himself falling for her just for this wonderful picture of her right before him.

He stepped closer, one hand lying lightly on her shoulder. She turned her head towards it. Slowly he moved around her, circling her before standing behind her. Her hair was like a sea of brown curls. Wonderfully soft to the touch. He brushed them over her shoulder to the front. She felt his hand lightly on her shoulders as his lips caressed the back of her neck.

"Mmm!" She purred.

He slowly unzipped her dress, unclasped her bra and then pushed both just far enough forward to reveal the skin of her back. His fingers trailed leisurely from her shoulder to the small of her back on either side of her spine. She shuddered.

"I can't believe, I let you talk me into this." She whispered.

"Just enjoy." He breathed into her ear.

Slowly the satin material was pushed from her shoulders. He could only see her back, but... He closed his eyes for a moment.

'Keep cool!' He told himself.

Next he drummed his fingers down her sides making her giggle. Holding onto her hips he kissed his way across her shoulders, before pulling the dress over her hips, letting it pool around her feet.

He let his lips vibrate in a low growl against the sensitive skin of her neck. She moaned quietly, not knowing where to put her own hands.

Circling her again he enjoyed to see her. Her eyes were closed. He gingerly kissed the tip of her nose.

"Hermione?"

"Hm?"

"Look at me."

She opened her eyes and he felt like drowning in them. Seas of endless brown.

"You have the most beautiful eyes."

She blushed.

"Your turn." He whispered.

Her hands were trembling as she reach up to his shoulders.

"I..."

"You are just fine." He re-assured her.

She smiled shyly at him and then slowly took his dress robes of him. Standing behind him she run her fingertips over his shirt, feeling the muscles underneath. He was slender, but years of Quidditch had given him well hidden strength and speed of movement. His shirt was tugged from his trousers.

He leant his head back savouring every moment. Her lips were caressing his left shoulder. Before kissing the skin below his ear.

"You smell wonderful." She whispered into his ear.

When her hands slipped under his shirt to find his warm body he couldn't help but groan. Her arms wound around his midriff and her head rested on his back for a moment.

He was loosing control, fast. How could one woman possibly be so sensual? She set his soul alight and he knew, he would burn tonight. Desire searing through his veins.

Her touch was scorching his chest now. He pulled her against himself. Only to lean back moments later. Her plump lips were inviting him to explore. So he bent down to her and...

Draco sat in his bed covered in sweat, feeling as if his blood was boiling with desire. He tried to slow his out off control heartbeat. Breathing slowly, he felt shortly before passing out.

'Merlin! Why ME!'

* * *

"Dear?"

Narcissa Malfoy looked at her son and was wondering, if he was actually conscious. He hadn't moved for the past ten minutes. His elbows were propped onto the table, his head lay on his hands. Normally she wouldn't have let him take a pose like that during meals, but she knew, that he didn't sleep properly any longer and every waking hour was a struggle for him.

She smiled to herself. He was such a stubborn boy at times. Though he had stopped being a boy years ago, he would always stay a boy for her. The boy she loved and wanted to protect, but he hadn't spoken to _her_. Despite her insisting on him doing so.

It was Monday morning and he had until Friday to finally do it. She had the suspicion, that he would try not to talk to Miss Granger, but if the groans she heard from his room every night were anything to go by, he was reaching the end of line. And fast.

"Mother?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Did you say something?"

"I was just wondering, if you were still awake or not."

He lifted his head and she could see in his eyes, that the last night had been one with not enough sleep yet again.

"I don't know, if I can do this much longer."

"You wont have to. Friday evening everything will come to a head."

He looked at her. It took several minutes before he actually understood, what she was talking about. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on him.

"What will happen, if they try to get married and she is still bound?"

"Everybody will know it. The wizard performing the ceremony will have to inform the Ministry and of course there are her friends and family. they will know."

He groaned.

"Draco?"

He looked at her with a wary expression.

"Do you love her?"

He was wide awake the instant his brain registered the question.

"What... what do you mean?"

"I wouldn't have thought, the question is that hard to understand. Do you love Miss Granger?"

He let his head fall back onto his hands and groaned.

"Mother, please! It's bad enough as it is."

"That may be, but it does not answer my question."

"Why do you think, I would feel anything for her?"

"I am not deaf, you know."

He had to think about that for a moment. His brain was too scrambled for him to think straight. He gave up.

"What do you mean, mother?"

"Are you aware, that you have started to talk in your sleep? Or maybe not so much talk as... moan?"

He was horrified. What had been... He didn't want to think about what his mother might have heard. His face become a red tinge.

'Merlin! Just let it be all over!'

* * *

Hermione was sitting in her office, reading the report about the latest raid. There had been some rather odd objects. Mr. Weasley had put his best two magical analysts onto them, to find out what exactly they were doing. And under what kind of circumstances.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

"Hi, Hermione."

She looked up.

"Hi, Harry."

"So how are things?"

He perched himself on the edge of her desk.

"Fine."

"Ron told me, you are not going to see him before the ceremony tomorrow night?"

She smiled at him.

"That's right."

He grinned.

"Why do I have the feeling, that that was your idea and not Ron's?"

"Has he said anything?"

"Not directly. He just looks a bit tired."

"Tired?"

"I think, he has difficulty sleeping..." He smirked in a conspicuous manner.

She looked at him.

"Oh."

He laughed.

"I think, it will be worth it, Hermione. If he is willing to not see you for a week, just to make you happy..."

She laughed with him. He saw her getting lost in her thoughts for a moment.

"Everything okay?"

"Hm? Oh, yes."

She looked at her friend of many years.

"Harry? Can I tell you something?"

"You are my best friend. You can tell my anything."

"But you must swear not to tell Ron about this."

"Okay..."

His forehead furrowed.

"What has happened?"

"You know, the day I went to pick up my wedding dress?"

"Last Friday? Yes. What about it?"

"When I was in Diagon Alley, in the bridal shop, I was about to take the dress off..."

"You sure _I _should here that?"

She looked at him.

"Just listen, will you?"

"Okay."

"I was about to take the dress off again when everything was suddenly plunged into utter darkness. It was magical of course."

"Of course."

"And then Ron was suddenly there and he kissed me."

Harry looked at her. There was this feeling niggling at him with such force, that he couldn't help but wince.

She looked at him somewhat alarmed.

"Is everything okay?"

He nodded.

"My stomach. Happens. Go on."

"Ron has never kissed me like that before. It was just... divine! I can't describe it, but it reminded me of the smoochy descriptions in a Mills & Boons of two folk kissing. I was just like that. I have never felt so alive as in these short moments."

"And...?"

"He suddenly lifted the darkness spell and apparated."

"Just like that? After kissing you like I-don't-know-what?"

"Yes. It was, as if he didn't want me to see, that he had come to kiss me."

"Have you talked to him about it?"

"No. Not yet."

"DON'T"

Hermione was a bit shocked by his sudden outburst.

"Why not?"

"I can't explain it, but these kind of things loose their magic when you talk about them."

"So you think, I should just keep it as a treasured memory of our time courting?"

"Something like that, yeah."

She thought about that for a moment, then she smiled at him and nodded.

"Thanks, Harry."

"What are friends for, eh?"

He hugged her tightly.

* * *

Another night in for Ginny and Harry was spent at Grimmauld Place, on the accustomed couch in the drawing room.

"Ginny?"

"Yes, Harry?"

There was a smile in her voice.

"What would happen, if Hermione would not be able to marry Ron tomorrow?"

She looked at him. Shocked.

"What do you mean? Why should she not be able to marry Ron? The Reversal has been performed and the month is nearly up as well."

"I know."

"But?"

"I have spoken to her at work today. She told me something, that has convinced me, that something must have gone wrong during the Reversal."

"Why? What has she told you?"

"You must swear never EVER to tell anybody, Ginny. I mean it! Never!"

She hesitated a moment. What could have possibly happen, that he would ask her for her total silence?

"I swear."

"Hermione has told me, that Ron has kissed her while she was picking up her dress last Friday. That was in the afternoon."

Ginny tried to understand what he tried to say, but seemed to be missing the vital details.

"So what?"

"I would have sworn that Ron did the auror backup for a raid in Knockturn Alley that same afternoon."

"..."

He could see her thinking.

"Yes, Ginny. Do you understand now?"

She nodded. Whom had her best friend been kissing when her fiancé had been working?

"And there is no chance, that he could have slipped up to Diagon Alley after they were finished?"

"He didn't come back to the office before 8 at night. There is no chance, that he has been in that shop with Hermione."

"So, who has been with her then?"

"Have a guess."


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N thanks for the review - as always very much appreciated**

**So, here it is - Crunch Time - it is Friday and everything is going to happen.**

**I had been thinking about doing the whole day in one chapter, but then it became two after all..**

**! ! ! ENJOY ! ! !**

* * *

It was 2 a.m. and Hermione sat wide awake in her bed, arms tightly round her pulled up legs. She was rocking back and forth slightly. Her mind was spinning. It had just been a dream. Just a stupid dream! Why was she so rattled then? She shivered thinking of what she had been doing. It all flooded back to her and she groaned.

_His arms were holding her in a tight embrace, his face only fractions of an inch away from hers. His warm breath tickling her cheek, rustling her hair lightly. He smelled so wonderful. She closed her eyes, trying to rein in the passionate feelings that were sweeping through her body._

_His lips touched hers every so gently. She shivered. She wanted to escape, wanted to run to the end of the earth, get away from this man, that held her captive without effort. She felt him kissing her softly now. Slowly, easily, without any haste, just enjoying to feel her._

_"Please..." She moaned._

_His eyes of mercury pierced her soul._

_"What do you want me to do to you?" He whispered against her mouth._

_She groaned. Unable to think straight. She felt his fingers moving over her back, it was so horribly enticing. She leant closer into his slender body, feeling the heat radiating of his bare chest. Her hands played with his hair. Absent-mindedly._

_With a slight panic she suddenly realised, that she was as dressed, or undressed, as he was. Her skin against his. Somewhere deep inside of her something told her, that he would be with her for all the right reasons. He would cherish her._

_He kissed her passionately now. Making demands, willing her to follow his lead._

She woke with a loud moan. It took her some moments to realise, that she was save in her bed. That she was alone.

'Oh, Great Merlin!'

Why did it have to be _him_ all of a sudden? She had been more or less enjoying rather undressed dreams for the past fortnight. Though until tonight she had always thought, she had been dreaming about Ron. She wasn't so sure any longer. All these other nights she had just let go and enjoyed it. Not so tonight. All other nights she had never really seen the man in her dreams, she had just assumed that it was Ron. He was her fiancé after all. Tonight it hadn't been him. She could not even pretend not knowing, whom she had been held by so tightly. She had seen his face right in front of her. It had been _him_ not Ron!

Tears were starting to form in her eyes. Why now? She would be getting married to Ron tonight. Everything was arranged, everybody... She started crying. Tears falling over her cheeks.

* * *

Draco was sitting at his desk. His head lay on the tabletop, his eyes were closed. He groaned. He had just had one of the most vivid dreams he had ever had in his entire life and it had featured one particular witch in the leading role. Though maybe it had been mainly him leading her. Though where he had led her made him blush. He wasn't sure, if he wouldn't even confess under the influence of Veritasserum, that it had been reality instead of a dream.

She had been just wonderful. Her soft body, her warm skin, her... He stopped himself of even thinking about _that_ special part of her body.

What was happening to him? He had read and re-read the book he had found about the Binding time and again, but hadn't found anything about _this_ happening to a bound person. Did she have the same dreams about him? He blushed even more. Him thinking of her in this way was going in a direction, she wouldn't appreciate. Though, regardless of what she might think of him or not, he knew that he had to talk to her. His mother had been right all along.

He lifted his head from the desk and looked at the book by his side. With the flick of his wand he created a copy of. Then he slowly leafed through it and tipped a specific section with his wand. All other text within the book vanished. He wrapped it in a piece of parchment and then went to fetch his owl to deliver it.

She would understand. He knew, she would. And then... Merlin knew, what would happen today!

* * *

Hermione was still sitting wide awake in her bed, when she heard the soft hooting of an owl at her window. She clambered out of bed and opened the window. The mild July air gently moved her curtains. The owl swooped in and she saw, that it had a parcel attached to his leg. She unburdened the bird of its load, fed it some owl treats and then slowly unpacked the parcel. It was an old book.

_The Bound One – Gaining Freedom_

She blinked. Who was sending her a book at this time of the night? When she scanned the title, she knew that this was the kind of book she had been looking for. A book about the Binding probably only held in a library belonging to a family of purebloods. She carefully opened it. Blank pages. She frowned. Why had somebody sent her a book with empty pages? She kept on going through the pages until she found a paragraph in the middle of an otherwise blank spread.

_To all the fathers, that are thinking it a wise idea to bind their daughter._

_There will be a time, when you are called for a duel and you will know, you can't win it. What will become of your daughter, bound to a man she might not even know of yet? Your death will prevent her from finding him and it will prevent her from gaining a Reversal, should the need arise._

_Nobody of us is infallible! You will be needed for her Reversal, if you are dead you condemn her to misery._

She blinked. What was that supposed to tell her? She read it again and then suddenly realised, that her father hadn't been at her Reversal. He was still in Australia with her mother. So, as he hadn't been there... the Reversal was invalid?

She didn't move for several minutes as the realisation sunk in, that she was indeed still bound. She was still the Binding partner of Draco Malfoy!

She sobbed helplessly. Her body shaken with the knowledge, that this day wasn't going to be the happiest of her life, but the worst imaginable!

* * *

"Master Harry! Master needs to get up."

Harry felt himself being shaken by Kreacher, who was standing more or less on his chest.

"What?"

"Master must come downstairs."

"Why, Kreacher? For Merlin's sake, it's 3 in the morning!"

"Miss is there waiting."

"Ginny?"

"No, Miss Hermione."

He stared at the house elf. Was he having a laugh or something? Why would Hermione be in his house in the wee hours of the morning?

"Tell her, I'll be down in a minute."

Kreacher vanished. Harry stared at the ceiling. What was she doing here? Shouldn't she be getting all the sleep she could for the big day? He slowly crawled out off bed. Where was his bathrobe again? He found it on the hook on the door. Right. Shoes? The floor felt rather cold under his feet. He found his work boots and put them on.

'I hope this is important!'

He found Hermione in the drawing room. On the couch in front of the fire, where he and Ginny normally sat. She was weeping into her hands.

"Hermione?"

She wiped around. In front of her was her best friend with messed up hair, a bathrobe that wasn't closed the right way, pajama bottoms in an unbelievable greyish colour and dragon hide boots. If the situation hadn't been so serious, this sight would have had her in stitches.

"It's him, Harry! It's still him!"

He just stared at her. It wasn't the most intelligent expression his face had ever shown, but at this time in the morning he really couldn't care less.

"Who is _him_, Hermione? What is going on? Why are you here in the middle of the night?"

She tried to calm down while he sat next to her.

"What has happened?"

"I had this dream..."

"Right."

"And it was rather..." She blushed.

"Undressed?" He ventured.

She nodded. He groaned. Wasn't she old enough to be able to deal with this kind of dream on her own?

"So, you had a somewhat ero..."

"And it wasn't Ron."

Fine. That shouldn't be problem in itself. Normally.

"Hermione, not all my dreams have always included Ginny, you know." He confessed. Not sure, if she was really listening or not.

"But you don't have Draco flipping Malfoy in your dreams, do you?" She shrieked.

He groaned. Oh, no!

"I am sure, it was all very enjoyable and he has been your Binding partner for years after all. What is the problem when you are..."

"Lusting after him?"

He was taken aback. What was she saying?

"What do you mean?"

"I have been having these dreams for a fortnight now and it has always been Ron. Until tonight." She lied.

And he could see, that it was a lie.

"You are getting married tonight. Why does it matter, that you are dreaming about the ferret all of a sudden? Even so I can understand how unsettling that must be for you."

"Harry!" She yelled.

He looked at her. What now?

"I am still bound to him!"

The words took several moments to sink in.

"What do you mean, you are still bound to him? You had the Reversal ceremony performed, haven't you?"

"Yes, but something must have gone wrong. I think, it's because it was Mr. Weasley and not my dad, that was there."

Another long pause, in which Harry tried to get to grips with the situation.

"So, you are still bound to Malfoy, which means you can't marry Ron tonight, right?"

"Yes."

"Well..."

He tried to come up with some kind of answer or solution, but his brain wasn't working that well at this time in the morning.

"Marry Malfoy instead?"

She screamed at him and he had just time to pull his arms up before she was pounding him with her fists.

* * *

It was about an hour later that Hermione was sitting next to Harry on the couch again, healing him.

"I'm so sorry, Harry. I really am."

"It's okay, Hermione, it really is. I should apologise. I don't know, why I said you should marry Malfoy."

She was looking at her hands for a very long time.

"Maybe that is the only thing I can do."

He looked at her. Horrified.

"What do you mean? You don't seriously think about making a move on him, do you?"

"No. I don't want to get close to him. The weird thing is though, in a way I am really close to him already. And if he is only half as good looking as he is in my dreams...!

"Please! Can we just NOT go there. I don't want to be sick before breakfast!"

"Sorry."

"Don't you think, you should tell Ron about this before the ceremony? I mean, it would be only fair that he knows what's going on."

"I know." She glanced at her best friend. "Harry?"

"Yes?"

"What, if I really end up as Malfoy's wife ?"

"How?"

"I don't know. I'm just scared about what is going to happen today."

"Don't be. After defeating Voldemort everything else is a piece of cake, believe me."

She smiled at him.

* * *

It was nearly 9 am before Hermione flooed home. Shortly afterwards Harry apparated to the Burrow, directly into Ginny's room. He was lucky, she had just managed to escape for a quick moment for herself.

"Harry! What are you doing here?"

She embraced and kissed him. He took his time to enjoy her. The news he was going to bring were bad enough. And he had been up since the wee hours already. Except for the nap he had shared with Hermione on his couch. He deserved a bit TLC.

Finally he pulled slowly away. Ginny looked at him longingly.

"Later." He smiled at her with a promise written all over his grinning face.

"I'll remind you!"

They smiled happily at each other until Harry remembered, why he had come in the first place.

"Ginny, we could a massive problem."

"What do you mean? Hermione hasn't got cold feet, has she?" She looked mortified.

He shook his head.

"It would probably be easier, if that was the case actually."

"What do you mean?"

"Hermione can't marry Ron."

"Why ever not?"

"She is still bound to Malfoy."

"WHAT! How can that be?"

"She reckons it's because your dad was their instead of her own."

"Oh, great Merlin! What are we going to do now?"

"I have not the slightest idea."

"Does Ron know?"

"She was going to talk to him after having freshened up a bit. She showed up at three in the morning."

"What? At your place?"

"Yeah. Kreacher woke me up."

"Why did she come?"

"First she was on about some dream she had. Seems she was having rather intimate dreams lately, if you know, what I mean."

She was about to say something, but then just closed her mouth and nodded.

"Seemingly she had been thinking her leading man was Ron and didn't have a problem with it. Until last night. There it was suddenly Malfoy and she was close to hysterics because of it."

"Aeh... I don't think, I want to think about that one."

"Neither did I! And then she said, that she was still bound to him."

"How did she know?"

"I have no idea, but I believe her."

"Is that the reason why this strange pattern is in her palm? Because she is still bound to the ferret?"

"Could be. I don't know. There is too much I don't really understand here, but one thing is for sure: Ron and Hermione are NOT getting married today!"

Ginny groaned.

"How am I going to tell mum that?"

"Don't! I don't want to rock the boat too early. Maybe we are lucky and we get a wedding tonight after all."

She just looked at him.

"Ginny, I am going to marry you the day you turn 21. You know that."

"I was just thinking, we could take the opportunity..."

He kissed her.

* * *

"Draco?"

Narcissa Malfoy was a bit surprised to find her son sitting at his desk still in his pajama. His head lay on the desktop and he seemed to be fast asleep. The book he must have been reading lay next to him.

She took the time to survey him in detail. His hair had fallen into his face. It looked tussled. His right arm was just hanging down beside him, whereas his left was supporting his head in the moment. He looked surprisingly peaceful. There was a small smile playing around his lips.

He started mumbling in his sleep. She didn't intend to eavesdrop on him, but she had heard him all these nights now. Once more or less wouldn't matter any longer.

"Beautiful... please, no... Hermione... I don't deserve you..."

She sighed and left him to his dreams.

* * *

"Have you seen Ginny anywhere?"

"No, mum, I think she went to her room."

Bill grinned. His little sister had been good at avoiding their mother recently. Not any longer!

Mrs. Weasley advanced to her daughter's room only to find the door locked.

"Ginny? Ginny, are you in there? I need you." She shouted.

It was absolutely still and then the door opened just wide enough for the young woman to squeeze through onto the landing.

"Yes, mum?"

Her mother eyed her suspiciously.

"What were you doing?"

"Having a break form being commanded about all day."

She skipped downstairs without waiting for Mrs. Weasley, which followed her moments later."

In her room Harry counted to ten and then apparated. He had to check something and then see somebody.

* * *

"Master Draco? Master must wake up! Is important Master wakes up."

"What?"

The young Malfoy looked with sleepy eyes straight ahead and found himself looking into the huge eyes of a house elf.

"What do you want?"

"Mistress says, Master must wake up. It's late and Mistress wants Master in the green parlour. "

He groaned.

"Tell my mother, I am going to be down in 15 minutes."

"Yes, Master."

She vanished.

He carefully stretched, feeling stiff all over. What had happened? Why was he now sleeping at his desk? His gaze hit the book on the desk.

'Oh, yeah, right...'

He washed, as there wasn't enough time for a bath, got dressed and then took the book from his desk. He saw his bed in a state of utter disarray and closed his eyes for a moment. She had been stalking his dreams again. Though, _stalking _was the last thing she normally did...

'NOT now!' He groaned.

He found his mother in the green parlour, kissed her cheek and then sat in a chair across from her.

"I hope, you had a pleasant night?"

Was there a hint of grinning in her voice? Her face was pleasantly smiling as always.

"I had better."

"I would expect that. Sleeping at a desk is not what I would call comfortable."

He looked at her.

"How...?"

"I was starting to wonder, when you didn't come down for breakfast, dear."

"Oh."

"Draco, I think, we both know that today is your last chance..."

"I have already let her know, that her father should have been present at the Reversal."

His mother looked at him with a slightly surprised expression.

"So, she knows?"

"Yes, she does."

"And when will you go and propose? This afternoon? Or did you intend to take her out for lunch?"

He stared at his mother and was wondering for a moment, if he had missed something. Was it just him or had she actually asked him, when he would be proposing to... Granger?

"Why do you think, that I would do something like that?"

"Because she has been sharing your nights for the past month and she has the spark of love for you already within her. All you need to do is ignite the fire."

'I am still asleep and this is just one weird nightmare. I am going to wake up any moment now...'

"Dear?"

He glared at the woman across form him.

"Mother?"

"When are you going to do it?"

He groaned. Alas not a nightmare after all. Pity!

"She wouldn't want me. Why should I bother?"

"You don't know that."

"Yes, I do."

"Draco..."

"Mistress, Master. There is somebody wanting to speak to Master."

"Who is it?"

"Harry Potter."

Draco was lost for words for a minute. What did _he_ want here?

"Please let him wait in the library. I'll be there momentarily."

"Yes, Master."

The house elf vanished.

"Harry Potter? Draco, you better know, what you are going to say, as I think he is here for the same reason, I asked for you proposal arrangements."

He bit back a sarcastic comment and headed out off the room.

"Oh, son, why can't you see that this is your wedding day?"

* * *

Draco found Harry in the library slumped in a chair. One elbow propped on the armrest , holding his head in his hand. His eyes were closed. For a moment he was wondering, if the other man was asleep.

He cleared his throat. Harry's eyes shot open.

"Malfoy!"

"Potter. What brings you here?" he drawled.

"Hermione."

Draco was not sure, what he should say to that.

"Granger? What have I to do with her?"

"Except for keeping her from sleeping due to rather _explicit_ dreams? Or showing up at my place at three in the morning? Or the knowledge, that she is still bound to you, while wanting to get married to our best friend tonight?"

A sigh was the answer.

"I know, she is still my Binding partner, but I am not responsible for any wanton dreams and fantasies she has about me! I haven't seen her since the day of that botched Reversal."

"You send her flowers. For a whole week. What was that about?"

"I wanted to annoy her enough to come and talk to me. I needed to tell her, that she was still bound."

"Why didn't you just go and talk to her?"

"You seriously think, she would have wanted to talk to me? I don't."

"Maybe not, but still..."

"Listen, Potter, I let her know last night."

"Last night? That must have been, why she showed up in the wee hours of the morning."

"So, she knows. She can tell Weasley. She will need to find her dad and then we can start again."

There was a rather malicious grin on Harry's face all of a sudden.

"And you think, you have that much time left, ferret?"

Draco's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"She is burning with desire for you! And I bet you have the same problem! She doesn't have time to look for her parents and you know it!"

There was a scowl on the young Malfoy's face.

"What do you know about it?"

"I am an Auror. I have access to the books nobody else in the Ministry gets to see. Ever. I have been reading up on this Binding! After both partners have reached their 21st year, they have exactly one month to get engaged. And another one to get married. Today is the 27th of July, which means seven weeks after your 21st birthday. Time is running out, Malfoy. Time is running out!"

Draco gave in. He knew, that he couldn't lie to the other wizard. He was right. There was only another week left. He had never been able to find out what exactly would happen, if he didn't get either the Binding reversed or got married though. He had only ever known, that anything afterwards would be a living nightmare.

"Do you know, what is going to happen afterwards? No? I tell you. The Pain will start. Only very light to begin with, but as time goes on it will become worse with every waking minute."

A horrified looked was the only answer to this revelation.

"Do you seriously think, I am going to let that happen to my best friend? You might not give a damn about her, but she is like a sister for me. I'll do whatever necessary to prevent her from loosing her mind because of you. You coward!"

There was only silence between them after this.

"Draco? Mr. Potter?"

They turned in unison to see the lady of the house standing on the threshold.

"Mother, I..."

"Mr. Potter, I am sure, you will want to take care of your friend. I am going to take care of my son. Please be so kind to owl us the details of the venue, how to reach it and when we will be expected."

Harry got up. Somewhat surprised. He couldn't remember, when he had seen Mrs. Malfoy the last time, but she didn't seem to be the same person in any case. Had she just told him, that she would make sure her son would appear to his, somewhat unexpected, wedding?

"Sure. I'll owl you everything, the minute I get back."

"Thank you. Vina will show you out." She smiled at him. Warmly.

A house elf appeared, bowed and then led Harry from the room.

After he had left, Narcissa rounded on her son.

"Draco, I hope you have not again the audacity to try and shirk your duty?"

"What do you expect, mother?"

"You could have prevented all this, if you had just plugged up the courage and talked to her. Now you will have to marry her instead."

"MOTHER!"

"Yes?"

"You don't really expect me to get married to Granger, do you?"

He sounded horrified.

"Why not? She is smart, nice to look at, has her own head and knows how to use her brain. I would say, she has everything going for her. Don't you?"

He groaned.

"Draco, one thing your father has always forgotten to teach you is, that all your action have consequences! All of them!"

"I haven't..."

"No, you haven't!"

He sighed. Defeated.

"What, if she says no?"

"Then we will be making sure, she finds her father and have a proper Reversal done. Until then you need to just face the consequences of your actions."

She left him without another word.

He drummed his fingers irritated on the armrest. Absolutely brilliant! He was going to have to propose to _Granger_ of all people. He didn't want to do that. He felt physically sick when he thought of her next to him. Until he remembered his dreams. There he had been only to pleased to have her by his side, on... He groaned. He was doomed and he knew it.

* * *

Harry found Hermione in her kitchen.

"Where have you been? Ginny has owled me twice to asked where you are."

"What did you tell her?"

"That I have no idea! _Where_ have you been?"

He fidgeted with his robes.

"What?"

"I am not quite sure, how to tell you this."

She hugged him.

"What has happened?"

"I have just had a conversation with a person, I would have hoped not to have to talk to ever again in this life, but it has turned out, that he is going to be possibly a common feature in our lives in the future."

She looked at him. What was he talking about?

"Harry, are you okay?"

"Yes, believe me, but since this morning I have been reading some of the Hidden Books, I had to talk to the ferret and now I need to tell you something about what is going to happen today, that I wish would just not going to have to happen."

"You know, that that makes no sense at all?"

"Yes."

He look at the clock over the door. It is now 1 pm.

"When will you floo to the Burrow?"

"In about an hour."

"Okay. The ceremony starts at 6 pm. That should be enough time for him. Ginny is going to get you ready?"

Hermione just nodded.

"Good."

He seemed lost in his thoughts for a moment. Then he smiled, wished her good luck and disapparated.

The young witch was a bit concerned for her friend. He had sounded close to insanity. Hadn't he intended to tell her something about what was going to happen today? He didn't. Strange.

* * *

"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried happily hugging him tightly as he stepped out of the Weasley fireplace.

"About time you came. Ron is still in his room. See, that you get him ready, will you."

"Sure, Mrs. Weasley."

He climbed the stairs to the top landing and knocked on the door to his best friend's room. There was no answer. Strange. He knocked again, louder this time.

"Ron? Open up, it's me, Harry."

Still no answer. Harry took out his wand.

"Alohomora."

The was a click and he slowly opened the door. The room was uncharacteristically tidy. He couldn't remember it EVER having been this tidy.

"Ron?"

The room was empty. He slowly walked in. It was quiet. Tidy and felt utterly eerie.

His gaze fell onto the for once made bed of his friend. There were two envelopes leaning against the pillow. He stepped closer. One had his name on it the other was for Hermione. His hand trembled, as he picked them up.

Where was Ron? What had happened? She slowly opened the letter addressed to him.

_Dear Harry,_

_I know, by the time you find this letter it will be Friday and you will be wondering, what has happened._

_I can't marry Hermione!_

_She has been very good to me and I love her to bits, but it seems the Binding got the better of her. Or maybe we were over the moment we discovered, that the bloody ferret had a claim on her. I know, she never wanted to hurt me and she might not realise, that I know about it, but when Lavender told me, she had seen them kissing, I knew it would be him marrying her not me._

_Harry! I can't be there to witness the woman I love marry another man. Especially not Malfoy of all people._

_Sorry, I'll owl you,_

_Ron_

Harry sunk onto the bed. This was even worse than he had thought possible! So it had been Malfoy kissing her in the bridal shop! Malfoy! He had actually gone, found and kissed her! He tried to get a grip of reality again for a moment. This was _so_ NOT happening!

What was he supposed to do now?

* * *

"GINNY!" he yelled at the top of his voice.

After a few moments he saw her head appear at the bottom of the stairs.

"What is it, Harry?"

"I need you up here. Now!"

She hastily climbed up to the top landing where he was standing. He took her hand, tugged her into the room of her brother and locked the door.

"Harry..." She smiled at him. Innuendo written all over her face.

He quickly kissed her and then held Ron's letter out to her.

"What's that?"

"Another disaster, we have to make sure nobody finds out about before 6 tonight!"

"What do you mean?"

"Read it."

So she did. All colour drained from her face.

"She has kissed _him_?" She whispered.

"You remember, I was talking to you about her telling me, she had kissed Ron in that shop? We knew she hadn't, but I think, she really does think it was Ron. She has no idea about what is going on here, Ginny."

She gently embraced him.

"You sound, as if you had a really hard day so far."

He sighed.

"You can say that again."

He kissed her forehead.

"I know, that Hermione has to marry Malfoy. I have read about this Binding spell in the library in the Auror Office. They have one week to do it or there lives will be plunged into a living nightmare of never ending pain."

She gasped. He stroked her arm.

"I have spoken to Malfoy. I suspect, he knew his time was running out without really knowing what was about to happen to them both."

"You have spoken to him?"

He nodded.

"His mother seems to know a lot more than she lets on. You know, there was a moment there at the Manor, when I was actually wondering, if she wouldn't be quite happy for her son to finally have somebody, that isn't bowing to his every whim. Somebody, he has to acknowledge as his equal. Somebody, _he _has to bow to at times."

"Are you serious, Harry? His mother wants him to marry Hermione? But she is..."

"She isn't and never was a Death Eater. She saved my life in the Forbidden Forest, Ginny! She lied to Voldemort of all people! When she knew, that Draco was save in the castle, she didn't care any longer. I think, her interest was only ever her son. His safety. Maybe she was the one, who got Snape to make the Unbreakable Vow. In order to protect Draco from failure and certain death. And also from becoming a murderer like his father."

He looked at her blue eyes and sighed.

"I owled her to make sure, that she gets Draco here by 5. All ready to go."

She looked at him for a long moment.

"You are really going to make them marry?"

He nodded.

"What else can we do?"

She didn't answer.

"I just hope he is man enough and asks her at least properly before the ceremony."

They could here loud greetings and a lot of commotion downstairs. Guests were arriving. Ron and Hermione had decided to have a wedding in the wizarding world for all their magical friends and family and a Muggle one for her family.

Harry looked at his watch. He normally never wore one, but today he needed to keep track of time. Everything depended on it.

"Hermione will be here any minute. Make sure, you get her as beautiful as possible. She has to take Malfoy's breath away, when he sees her."

"Okay. What are you going to do?"

"I am going to stay in here, pretend Ron is with me and have a nap. I need it!"

She smiled at him.

"I just hope our wedding is going to go a bit smoother than this mess is."

"Maybe I'll just elope with you..."

* * *

Draco stood in his room looking at the clothing one of the house elves had laid out for him. He had had a bath and was now standing in his underwear in front of his bed, looking at the black dress robes, with dark emerald lining, the black trousers and shoes, a white dress shirt, an emerald waistcoat with thin silver threats woven through and the black tie.

He was expected to propose to a girl he had been taunting and calling any foul name under the sun. A girl that was now a young woman, which kissed in a way he would have never thought possible.

He groaned. She would never _ever_ consent to becoming his wife. Why would she? She loved the weasel. And he loved... Realisation hit him. The moment he had kissed her in that shop he had ignited the spark hidden within them. It was just the wrong spark! Or was it?

"Master needs to get dressed! Mistress is waiting in the entrance hall. Quick!"

He looked at the elf in front of him. She seemed rather exited.

"Has something happened?"

"Mistress is saying Master will be bringing new Mistress soon."

He didn't even groan any longer. Even the house elves got exited by him being made to forge a bond with Granger now.

There was a knock at the door.

"Draco? It is time for us to leave." That was his mother.

He was tempted to just ignore her and just...

"Don't even think about NOT coming! You might be of age and a grown man, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to make you..."

"YES, mother, I'm getting ready."

"Hurry!"

He did. When she was in this kind of mood, he wouldn't have been surprised, if she would have come in and charmed his clothes onto his body herself.

About five minutes later he left his room and found his mother in front of his door.

She looked him over and smiled.

"You will make a very good impression."

* * *

"Ginny?"

"Yes?"

Ginny was arranging the hair of her friend. With skilled efficiency.

"Why have I not seen Harry anywhere since I came?"

"He is in Ron's room having a nap."

Hermione's cheek got a tinge more colour.

"Has he told you, that I have woken him up in the middle of the night?"

"Yeah, he said. You must have been pretty distraught to do that."

There was a long moment of silence. Except for a lot of laughter and talking drifting up form the kitchen, which was filled with people by now.

"I was. I had just found out, that I was still bound to Malfoy. Ginny!"

She turned around abruptly. Her friend nearly dropped the load of hairpins she was holding.

"What now?"

"I have to tell Ron!"

Ginny grimaced.

"Harry has everything under control." She hoped.

"Oh."

"You don't need to worry about Ron."

"Is he okay?"

"Haven't seen him today."

"Ginny? Is everything okay with you and Harry?"

"What! You bet it is! I know, where I will spend the night, that's for sure..."

Hermione grinned and turned, facing the other way again. She didn't see the worried face, her friend was making.

* * *

Harry woke with a start. It took a moment before he realised, that it was the old fashioned wind-up alarm clock on the night stand, that was ringing. He turned it of, checked his watch and disapparated.

Kreacher was already waiting for him as he arrived in Grimmauld Place.

"Master is late."

"I know, Kreacher, sorry. Are they here yet?"

"Mistress Narcissa and Master Draco are in the drawing room."

"Thanks, Kreacher."

Harry went upstairs and found his female guest seated on a chair with a cup of tea, whereas his male guest was pacing in front of the fireplace.

"Potter!"

"Malfoy. Before you say anything, I have some unexpected news."

He sat in a chair next to Lady Malfoy and waited for Draco to sit down. Which he didn't do. He kept standing.

"I have got a letter from Ron. He knows, that it was you, who kissed Hermione in that bridal shop in Diagon Alley. I don't know, how I came by that information, but he knows. Hermione on the other hand doesn't. She told me about it, in case you were wondering."

Harry took his time to glance at the other man now leaning on the mantlepiece.

"You don't deny it then?"

"No." His voice was quiet. He looked at Harry with defiance all over his face.

"Why did you do it?"

It was a simple question, but Draco was not sure, how to answer it. He decided on the truth for once.

"I have no idea."

The other wizard glared at him. Though he knew, that that was probably really the case.

"When we apparate to the Burrow you'll be staying in the room we arrive in. I'll escort Mrs. Malfoy to the other guests and hopefully nobody will notice."

"And then?"

"I'll get Hermione to you, so that the two of you can decide, if you want to face insanity through pain or not."

His voice was even, but there was the hint of would might be forthcoming, if they didn't get their act together.

"Mrs. Malfoy, are you ready?"

She got up gracefully and nodded.

"Malfoy?"

He came over to where the other two were standing. Harry took hold of both their arms and then apparated them into Ron's room at the Burrow.

* * *

"You look just gorgeous!" Ginny exclaimed as Hermione was twirling before her.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who's there?"

"It's me, Harry."

"Oh, good."

The older witch looked a bit unsure. What was going on here? Why did she have this funny feeling?

"Hermione? I'll bring you up to Ron's room."

"What?" Her friend shrieked.

"He can't see me in my wedding dress before..."

"Calm down! Have you forgotten that you are a witch and he is a wizard? He won't see you."

"Oh, yeah, right." She looked flustered and blushed.

'Suits her.''

Ginny opened the door and Hermione followed her upstairs. The younger girl was praying that Harry's plan would be working, whereas the older one was wondering, what her fiancé could have to talk to her about. An hour before their wedding.

As they reached the top landing, Ginny opened the door and gestured Hermione to go first. Which she did. The door closed behind her and she could hear the lock click.

"Ginny?"

She rattled the handle. It didn't move. Then she become aware of the tall and slender figure standing directly next to the door. Dressed in black dress robes and obviously meant to be here for the wedding, she was wondering for a moment, why he had been hiding behind the door. Until she saw the face, that was looking at her from underneath white-blond hair.

"MALFOY!" she shrieked.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N thanks for the reviews!**

**And here it is the moment we have been waiting for!**

**- E N J O Y and R E V I W - **

* * *

Draco looked at the witch in front of him. She was wearing the dress he had seen her in before, but now her hair was all made up, there was a veil held by a delicate looking tiara and she looked just breathtakingly gorgeous. He knew, he had fallen for her.

There was a scowl on her pretty face and somehow he felt the urge to kiss it away. He wanted her to smile. A smile would make it just perfect. He wanted her to smile _for _him, smile _at _him.

He hesitantly smiled at her. Unsure what emotions to put into it.

His keeper instincts kicked suddenly in as he caught her hand before he was aware, that she had been raising it to slap him.

"You have not right to be here!"

He didn't answer. Her face looked seriously angry. This was not going to be easy.

"You evil monster! Why are you trying to spoil my wedding day?"

She tried her hardest to get her hand out of his grip. He wasn't going to let her get away.

"I am not going to spoil _your_ weeding day!"

"So? Why are you here then? I don't think you have been invited!"

"No, I was forced to come here! Why do you think, I want to be here? Having some deranged girl screaming at me."

"I am NOT deranged!"

"Yes you are! Face it, Granger, you just wanted to hit me for no reason. No reason at all!"

"What do mean, no reason at all? What have you done to Ginny and Harry, that they helped you get in here?"

"I was taken here against my will!"

"And you think I am going to believe that?"

"If you were as smart as they say you are you would know, that I wouldn't come here under any circumstances except force!"

"And _who_ forced you, FERRET?"

"Your precious friend Harry! You insane M..."

He caught himself just in case.

"Go on! Say it! I know, what you think of me. Always have, always will!"

"You have not idea, what I am thinking about you, Granger!"

"Oh, no? Then tell me. What are you thinking about me?"

He hesitated. The truth? The truth!

"That you are gorgeous."

She looked at him stunned.

"And I envy Weaselbee, that he had you all this time."

He couldn't possibly mean that!

"You are smart. Normally anyway. Not right now though."

She glared at him.

"I came here under protest. I don't want to be here. And I most certainly don't want to do what everybody is expecting me to do!"

"What...what does everybody want you to do?"

"Believe me, you don't want to know!"

"Yes, I do!"

"No, you don't!"

"Yes, I do"

"No, you don't!"

"I do!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"You are such an arrogant git, Malfoy!"

"And you are the most beautiful girl I know."

She wanted to answer that, but found that she couldn't. Had he just called her beautiful?

"You don't mean that!"

"Yes, I do"

"No, you don't."

"I do!"

"You don't!"

"How would you know anything about that?" He felt wild emotions running riot within his soul.

"You are..."

"Yes?"

"A spoiled prat!"

"And you have wonderful eyes."

She glared at him. Why was he doing this?

"Let go of me, ferret!"

She yanked her hand back, but found that he held her wrist fast.

He smirked at her.

"I am no match for you Granger!"

"Oh yeah? I remember being a rather good match during 4th year!"

His face flashed the emotions of him remembering as well. One good swing!

"You are not getting the chance to do that again. EVER!"

"Watch me!"

She had intended to use her other hand and suddenly found him holding both her wrists. He grinned.

"Told you!"

"Let go of me!"

She struggled, trying to free her wrists from his vice like grip. He pulled her closer.

"You can struggle all you want, Hermione, but you know, you want me!"

She was shocked. He had just used her first name and insinuated something, that made her head spin.

"How dare you! You malicious monster!"

"Malicious? Monster? You better watch what you call your future husband!"

"WHAT! Over my dead body!"

"Not, if I can help it!"

"You are delusional! I would never ever think of you as anything other than a foul, loathsome..."

"...evil little cockroach?"

He smirked.

"I would say, that wouldn't have been what you call me after you kissed me the other day..."

"What? I never kissed you!"

"Oh, yes you did!"

There was a slight sense of panic rising within her. They were both screaming at the top of their lungs and nobody had bothered to check, what was going on yet! Where was Ginny? And Harry? Where was RON?

She tried to get her breathing under control again.

She felt him pull her closer towards himself. His slender body only inches away. There was a fire in his eyes that she had never seen before. It was blazing at her and seemed to start a fire deep within her. She tried to look away.

"Afraid of me?"

"What? NO!"

He exhaled slowly.

"I don't believe you. I can feel your fear radiating of you."

"No, you can't!"

He pulled her closer still. Only their arms were now separating them from each other.

"You look beautiful and you are afraid like anything, that I will notice!"

"Why would I?"

"Because you can feel the fire within you as much as I do."

She nearly groaned. He was right, but she would be damned, if she admitted that, least alone to him.

"You were destined to love me, Hermione. Nothing will change that."

"Me? Love something as opinionated, self-centred and Slytherin as you? Ha!"

He smiled a rather open smile. It would have been captivating, if she would have dared acknowledge it.

"You are going to love me as much as I love you!"

Silence. It wasn't just her that couldn't believe what he had just said. His eyes were wide in surprise as well.

Why, for Merlin's sake, did he say that?

"You what?" She whispered.

He tried not to look at her. She tried to will him to do so.

"What did you just say?"

He didn't answer.

"Draco?"

His eyes met hers. She could see something within them, she had never seen in the eyes of any man she knew before. Something deep, frightening and earth shattering. Something that would not take no for an answer. She shuddered.

He slowly released her wrists, moved his hands to her shoulders. Her palms were on his chest.

"I... I don't know, why I said that." His voice was very quiet.

"But is that, what you really feel? For me?"

He closed his eyes. He could smell her flowery perfume, feel her warm body and... He sighed. What had his mother done? She had made him fall for somebody, that would never think of him as anything other than something you better not be associated with.

"Draco?"

Her voice was as soft as the satin of her dress. Her hand slowly reached up to his cheek. The moment she touched him, his eyes locked with hers.

"Do you really feel that for me?"

He tried to back away, but she got hold of his robes and stopped him.

"Tell me." She whispered.

There was a long moment of silence, before he spoke.

"When Mother bound me to you, it left a spark of love within you. When the time would come, I should be able to use it to make you realise, what I could be for you. Give me a chance to win you. It works the other way round as well."

She thought about this for a moment.

"So, in both of us it the potential of... liking...

"...loving." He corrected.

"...okay, loving each other? What happens, if we don't?"

"Don't know. Probably nothing." He shrugged.

"And how exactly does it come to life?"

He looked at her for long moments.

"I know, that a kiss worked for me."

There was the slightest hint of embarrassment in his voice.

'A kiss did it for him? Who had kissed him, then?'

"Who did you kiss?"

He didn't answer. He just pulled her close and his lips gently found hers. The moment she felt his warm mouth her knees became too weak to hold her. Remembering the only other time anybody had ever kissed her with such passion. It had been _him_ in the bridal shop!

* * *

"Harry!"

He looked around to find Ginny rushing towards him.

"Everything okay?"

She tried to get her breath back.

"So far. Nobody has noticed, that Ron isn't around yet. Though I don't how long that is going to last. How is _his_ mum?"

"Fine. She had some engaging conversations with your aunt Murial and some daft wizard, that must be an uncle, cousin or something. She seems fine. How about _them_?"

"I cast a silencing charm. Otherwise everybody would probably know by now, something was up. How are we for time?"

Harry checked.

"We got 20 minutes left."

"When are we actually going to check, if they are okay?"

"When did your dad want to fetch her?"

"Ten to."

"Fine. We check in five minutes."

"And then what?"

He ruffled through his hair.

"I get him down here and in place, you get her back into your room for your dad to pick her up."

She hugged him tightly.

"Harry, I'm scared. What will happen, if the guests notice, that the groom has suddenly white-blond hair?"

"He had an accident at work? Don't worry Ginny. As long as we get them married somehow I couldn't care less, what anybody thinks right now."

She kissed him.

"Do you know that you look very handsome, when you are all flustered and..."

He kissed her.

"Later!" He whispered against her lips.

* * *

"Are you aflame yet? "Draco asked with a husky voice.

She just looked at him. With a shy smile she nodded. She felt a fire burning her, she had never known before. He had most certainly set her heart alight. Then a thought struck her, what was she going to tell Ron? He felt her suddenly stiffen and carefully glanced into her face. Worry was ll he found.

"What?"

"I have to tell Ron, that I can't marry him. He doesn't know, that I am still bound to you."

He brushed his cheek against hers.

"Tell me first what you feel." He purred.

"I feel alive."

"Like burning alive?" He smirked in a completely new manner.

She blushed.

"Yes.

"Good!"

"But Ron..."

She heard him sigh.

"There is a letter Harry wanted me to give you. He said it was from Ron. He got one as well."

He pulled away just enough to reach into his robe pocket. He handed her a small envelope. Her name was on the front.

She slowly opened it. What could Ron be possibly have written?

_Dear Hermione,_

_when you read this letter it is Friday and you will be wondering, why your fiancé is not there with you._

_I can't. I love you too much, as that I can watch you becoming the wife of another man!_

_You are an amazing woman, an amazing witch. I wish, I could have been the one, that made you happy, but your fate had been decided long before we even met._

_I know, that you will want to not get together with him because of me, but you MUST. I have read up on this Binding and I can only beg you to marry Malfoy! How much it might pain me is of no consequence, because if you don't, you will feel pain beyond anything that that deranged aunt of his has done to you!_

_Hermione, I have told my parents, that you will be getting married today and that it will be NOT me you are getting married to. It took a while, but they understood. I don't know, if they have told anybody, but you don't need to worry! It will be the wonderful wedding you had been dreaming of._

_Love always,_

_Ron_

She turned to Draco, held onto his robes and sobbed loudly. His stomach knotted as he put his arms around her. What had that weasel written to make her cry so badly? If he ever found that...

"He has told his parents that we, you and me, are going to get married today!" She cried against his chest.

"What do you mean?"

She let him read the letter. He didn't know, what to say. For once Draco was impressed. He wouldn't have thought that the youngest Weasley would do anything like this.

There was a knock on the door.

"Hermione?"

"Yes?"

The lock clicked and Ginny peeked in. The sight in front of her was somewhat unsettling. Her friend was held by Draco and seemed rather content. He was looking like somebody that had just won the Quidditch World Cup.

"You guys okay?"

Hermione nodded.

"Good. Dad is going to come and fetch you in five minutes, I just came to get you back to my room."

"I'll bring her in a moment."

His voice was even, but Ginny Weasley was sure there was something like pride in it.

"Okay. I'll be downstairs."

She closed the door and Draco pulled his favourite witch into a tight embrace.

"Do you still want to know, what I was expected to do?" He whispered into her ear.

She nodded. He sighed.

"I was sent to propose to you."

She drew back to look at him.

"Seriously?"

He nodded.

"And will you?"

"What?"

"Propose to me?

"Do you want me to?" His face lit up with a huge grin.

"Oh, well..."

He took her hands into his and allowed himself to drown in her eyes for a moment.

"Would you mind very much to make me really happy and become my wife?"

"No, I don't."

His face fell.

"What?"

She laughed.

"No, I wouldn't mind to make you happy and be your wife."

He grabbed her tightly and spun her around. When he let her down, he was feeling like he had never felt before.

* * *

Mr. Weasley beamed as he led Hermione down the aisle in the middle of the marquee. At the front she could see Ginny, who was her bridesmaid, Harry, who was best man and next to him Draco, who seemed to be glowing again.

The only thing that alarmed her slightly was the wizard, that was going to lead the ceremony. His robes were in a violent green, that was so glaringly horrible, it was hard to look away from them.

Weasley senior handed a very happy bride to her groom and then took his place next to his wife. Hermione looked at Draco, who smiled at her.

"We are gathered here today to seal the Binding that has been arranged 21 years ago between Hermione Jean Granger and Draco Malfoy."

He told them to raise their hands that were showing the pattern and had them holding each other with these hands. The moment they touched red, green, gold and silver threads were weaving themselves around their hands and lower arms. There was a lot of "Aaah." and "Oohh." coming from the congregated people behind them.

"Are you, Hermione, willing to be bound to Draco Malfoy with body and soul?"

She smiled at him. Was he as nervous as she was?

"Yes, I am."

"Are you, Draco, willing to be bound to Hermione Jean Granger with body and soul?

"Yes, I am."

"Therefore I proclaim this Binding sealed. You are now bonded for life. Congratulations!"

There were cheers all round.

"You are allowed to kiss your bride."

Draco looked at Hermione. Did she want to be kissed publically by him? There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

He bend down and very shyly brushed his lips against hers. He was about to pull back, when he felt her arms close around his neck, drawing him closer and then she kissed him openly. The crowd around them cheered and applauded.

* * *

They had managed to steal away from the party and were now standing in the orchard in a tight embrace looking up at the stars.

"Draco?"

"Hm?"

"Do you really love me? I mean not just because of the Binding?"

"How is it, that you are so smart and so insecure at the same time?"

She didn't answer.

"Must be one of the Griffindor traits..."

She gently bid his ear.

"Oi! That hurt!" He complained mockingly.

"You didn't answer my question."

He sighed.

"When I saw you in your wedding dress that day, I thought you were the most beautiful girl on the planet. And when I kissed you, well, let's just say, that was my undoing. I was yours from then on."

"So the spark really turn in a fire then?"

"It most certainly did."

She lay her head on his shoulder.

"What about you?"

"I don't know. In the beginning I only ever loved Ron and then I had this rather... embarrassing dream about you last night. It sort of started everything for me. And when you kissed me,...

"Embarrassing dream? Care to elaborate?"

"Most certainly not!"

"Shame, I might have taken some inspiration from it."

"Inspiration... Oh!"

He smirked. Then he bent down and whispered.

"I am yours to command, Hermione. Don't worry." His lips brushed her skin.

She sighed happily.


End file.
